Diamonds and Pearls
by SilverKitsune2017
Summary: It was no secret that pirates loved treasure. Sometimes they would go to extraordinary means to get it. That was how Naruto and Gaara ended up sailing alongside the Uchiha Brothers on a quest to find Kurama's treasure. In the end, both Pirate Captains would come to cherish a single diamond and pearl far more than anything else. After all, love was the greatest treasure of all.
1. Chapter 1

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** This is a YAOI story. That means there will be male x male romantic pairings. This tale is also about pirates. I'm also slowly going back and adding scene breaks. So if you see any chapters without them, you'll know why. If any of that bothers you, you might want to turn back now. For those of you still here, reviews are always appreciated and I hope you enjoy this story.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing and make no profit of off any of my fanfics.

Chapter 1

"You've gone mad, surely as the tides roll in and out everyday. You know that is just a legend. Kurama's treasure doesn't actually exist. Every pirate has tried to find it, no one has. Naruto, it can't be done." Gaara informs his friend.

"Yes, it does exist. We'll find it. Unless you are too yellow to go looking for it." Naruto teases the red headed pirate.

Gaara raises an eyebrow. No, not this time. He wasn't going to fall for it. Naruto was forever talking him into all sorts of mischief. He loved the other man as if he was his second brother, but the blonde had a knack for getting into trouble. (This was true even by pirate standards).

"I am not falling for it. I won't let you goad me into a wild goose chase." The Captain of Suna states firmly.

"Oh that's a shame. Captain Itachi was looking forward to working with you. You see this is a massive undertaking, so I put out some feelers. The Sharingan Crew says they will work with us, provided the loot is split evenly." Naruto says slyly.

That stops Gaara in his tracks. The red head had been madly in love with the elder Uchiha brother for years. Unfortunately, he hadn't spoken to the man since he was a child. Itachi was the Captain of the Sharingan and had once saved Gaara's life. He couldn't help but remember that day.

 _"COME HERE, YOU FILTHY ANIMAL! I'LL TEACH YOU TO STEAL FROM ME!" Came the angry voice of a merchant._

 _Gaara was only a boy of thirteen summers. He and his siblings were orphans and lived on he streets. Mostly they eeked out a rather meager existence by stealing or begging. The red head had just stolen a loaf of bread._

 _It was a gamble. Gaara knew if he was caught, that the punishment for thieves was severe. It was likely he would lose one of his hands. With his heart racing with fear, he tried to escape._

 _"Umpf!" Gaara said as he ran right into someone._

 _He looked up and was stunned. The man was likely 18 summers or so. He was magnificent. His hair was black as night and swayed alluringly in the wind. He had a rugged sun kissed tan and his eyes were crimson red. His build was that of a leopard, all sleek muscle._

 _Other than his inhumanely beautiful red eyes, what caught Gaara's attention most was his outfit. The man wore a long black leather jacket that reached to his knees and matching black pants. His vest was the exact same shade as his eyes. The man also had fancy boots that were probably worth more money than Gaara had ever seen in his lifetime. The crowning jewel though was his sword. The beautiful steel glimmered like diamonds underneath the sunlight._

 _"Is there a reason why you are harassing this child?" The ethereal being demanded._

 _His voice was like a silken caress to the ears. Gaara had never heard anyone with a voice like that before. It made him shiver and feel things that he never had before. The red head would later learn that unidentified feeling was known as desire._

 _"He stole a loaf of bread. You know what the punishment for thieves is. Doesn't matter what his age is. He's nearly a man. He damn well knows stealing is wrong!" The merchant thundered at Itachi._

 _"I don't like it when insects buzz in my face in such an annoying fashion." The man said and slammed the merchant into the side of a nearby building with one mighty punch._

 _After a pause, he shoved a gold coin in the other man's mouth. Gaara knew the loaf of bread wasn't worth that much. But judging by this man's manner of dress and fine weapon, it was likely the smallest currency he had on his person._

 _"Consider that payment for the bread. What's your name, boy?" Itachi asked the frightened orphan._

 _"Gaara." He said simply._

 _"Well Gaara, you look a little better fed than most orphans. So I'm guessing you have at least one sibling. Am I correct in this?" Itachi asked._

 _"Yes, Sir." The red head replied quickly, not sure where this was going._

 _Itachi nodded. Gaara thought he might be pleased at his guess being correct. He honestly didn't know though._

 _"How old are they? Tell me true. I don't like liars anymore than I like annoying insects." He continued._

 _"Temari is 16 summers. Kankuro is 14 summers. I'm 13." He answered._

 _"Old enough, I suppose. Go get them. I have a friend that could use a few more cabin boys and a cook." Itachi ordered him._

 _Gaara raced off. He soon returned with his sister and brother. Itachi was true to his word. He took them to a ship. Temari almost screamed when she saw the captain. He had BLUE skin and teeth like a shark's!_

 _"This is Captain Kisame. His…exotic appearance means many people are too scared to join his crew. But he's a good man, in his own way. It will mean a full belly. It's your choice. I've done my good deed for the decade." Itachi said simply and walked off._

 _That was how Gaara became a pirate. He started off as a cabin boy. Eventually, he worked his way up to First Mate. Once he had saved up enough, he bought his own ship. He named it Suna and had been a Captain ever since. It was all thanks to Itachi. The man who had stolen his heart when he was a mere boy of thirteen summers and never realized it._

"Naruto, I swear that if you are lying to me, I will slit your throat. Did he really say that? Did he really say that he was looking forward to working with me?" Gaara demands.

"Yes, Gaara. I swear it on me mother's grave. You're just as much of a pirate as he is now. People have heard of you. Why wouldn't he acknowledge your skills?" Naruto asks.

The red head considers this. Naruto wouldn't swear on his mother's grave unless he really meant it. Could he really do it? Could he fight alongside his beloved diamond and maybe even win his heart? Did Itachi even take men to his bed? Gaara didn't know.

"Alright. I'll do it. I'm probably going to end up regretting this, but what's life without a little risk? After all, we are pirates, not pampered nobles." Gaara asks with a smirk and Naruto beams.

"That's the spirit!" The blonde chirps merrily.

* * *

Meanwhile two brothers were in a tavern. Sasuke was wondering if his Captain had lost his mind. He wanted to WHAT?!

"Not only do you want to go after Kurama's treasure, you want to sail with the Captain of Suna and Konoha?!" The younger Uchiha exclaims in disbelief.

"That's correct." Itachi replies and he downs his flask of rum.

Yes, Itachi had gone mad. Sasuke couldn't believe that his brother was actually going along with this. He wanted to sail with two rival captains to go after a treasure that didn't even exist!

"Why?!" Sasuke thunders at him.

"Oh I have very little hope that we'll find Kurama's treasure, but I'm sure we'll find many other treasures along the way. Besides, I am curious what became of that boy. Gaara has his own ship now. He's made quite the name for himself and don't deny that you are curious about Captain Naruto. I have seen you perk up when his name is mentioned." Itachi states plainly.

Sasuke could feel his face heat up. He glares daggers at Itachi for what the other man was implying. It was not like that. It wasn't like that at all.

"Naruto actually managed to escape the Spanish fleet. Of course, I am interested when he's mentioned. The man is practically a demon on the seas." Sasuke defends himself.

"Of course. I'm certain that's all it is. You just appreciate his skills as a pirate." Itachi teases him.

"Exactly! That's all it is." Sasuke says and Itachi shakes his head in amusement.

Sasuke orders another ale. He wasn't going to put up with Itachi's teasing while he was sober. Alcohol was one the best friends a pirate would ever have. Many a time it had saved him from attempting to strangle his brother. He loved Itachi with all his heart, but the man did enjoy provoking him.

"You are my First Mate. I trust you more than anyone else, Sasuke. That's why I want you to sail on Konoha with Naruto. I will have Gaara aboard Sharingan. It's simply too noticeable sail with three pirate ships at once. Suna is built for speed. If it comes to naval battle, it is at a disadvantage compared to Konoha and Sharingan." Itachi says.

"You want me to sail with Naruto?! You want me to sail with a man that I've never met?! What if something goes wrong? What if Gaara decides run you through while your back is turned?" Sasuke asks.

Itachi smiles. He pokes Sasuke on the forehead. Those were all very valid questions, but his little brother needed to learn how to relax.

"Yes, I want you to sail with him. I know you are perfectly capable of handling yourself. You will also be taking some of our men with you. You won't be alone. As for Gaara, I saved him when he was a boy. Without me, he'd probably be dead or a beggar at best by now. He knows this. I believe him to be a man of honor. If he isn't, well I'll shove him overboard before he can even think of unsheathing his blade." Itachi says with a smile and flicks Sasuke's forehead.

Sasuke growls. He rubs his forehead and shoots his brother a dirty look. He still thought Itachi was half mad, but he would follow his brother to Hell itself. Itachi was the only person in his life that he could honestly say he trusted completely, save for Jugo.

"Why do you always do that?!" Sasuke snarls.

"Because it's something that only we share and it vexes you greatly. You are rather amusing when you are annoyed. Let's go tell the crew. We have much preparing to do." Itachi says and pays for their tab.

Sasuke nods. They would need to make sure their ships were well stocked with supplies and that everyone was ready to set sail the next day. It would be a long night. The Uchiha brothers walk off to do exactly that.

* * *

The next morning the three crews meet. Everyone was in the midst of introducing themselves and checking to make sure all the ships were properly prepared. It was chaos.

"This is Sasuke. He is my First Mate and brother." Itachi says as he introduces himself and the younger Uchiha to everyone.

"A pleasure to meet you." Gaara says and extends his hand towards Sasuke.

"Likewise, Captain Sabaku." He replies and shakes his hand.

"This is Captain Naruto Uzumaki. He is my closest friend and one of the finest sailors that I have ever met." The red head continues with the introductions.

Sasuke nods. That's when he made the mistake of looking up as he offered his hand to the other in greeting. So this was Naruto. He could certainly understand now what the barmaids were all talking about when they said he had eyes bluer than the Caspian Sea. Sapphires even paled in comparison.

"Nice to meet you." Naruto says cheerfully and shakes Sasuke's hand.

The blonde looks up at the last minute. He must have met a couple hundred men so far today and the introductions were getting to be a little tiresome. Still he knew that Sasuke was important. He was a First Mate and likely would have been a Captain of his own ship, if he wasn't so loyal to his brother.

He had heard the rumors of two handsome pirate brothers. Still Naruto had never put much stock in rumors. Half of them were started by pirates who only wanted to 'earn' a more impressive reputation. The rumors this time though, didn't do justice. Itachi was a handsome man, Sasuke was a beautiful one.

"Likewise." Sasuke says simply.

Midnight black hair that was spiked exotically in the back and two long bangs framed his face. His eyes were red as rubies. His skin was more luminous than any pearl that Naruto had seen and so soft to the touch. How the Devil did Sasuke have such soft hands when he was a bloody pirate?!

"We should get going. It wouldn't do well to linger too long. The authorities might get suspicious." Gaara points out.

The pirates all nod and finish boarding the ship. The brothers exchange a dignified embrace and quickly head off with their respective new partner in crime. It didn't take long for the ships to set sail.

"So welcome to Konoha. The finest ship to ever sail the Seven Seas." Naruto says with a smile.

"The second finest. Sharingan is superior, but I must admit it is a very lovely ship." Sasuke says with a smirk.

Naruto raises an eyebrow in amusement. Well he supposed he should have expected that. Most pirates were rather competitive when it came to their ships. Still Sasuke was talking to him and seemed to be in relatively high spirits. So that was a good sign.

Speaking of high spirits, Naruto was rather liking the way his long sleeved white shirt was half opened, displaying his well sculpted chest. Oh and those dark blue pants flattered his perfect backside. The only thing that kept Naruto from grabbing said fine backside was the fact that Sasuke had a sword displayed rather prominently on his left hip and a reputation as a skilled swordsmen.

"Well as long as we are in agreement that is a very fine ship, I think we'll get along well enough." Naruto says.

"Good. Which cabin is mine?" Sasuke asks.

"Oh right. Come on. I'll show you." Naruto says as he leads Sasuke to his cabin.

* * *

Sasuke follows him to the cabin. Once inside, he looks around in approval. There was a large canopy bed with red silken sheets, pillows, and drapes. He saw a large dresser with a vanity on it and a table. There was a bookshelf as well and a trunk to stash his valuables.

"It'll do." He says and Naruto raises an eyebrow.

He couldn't resist trying to get a rise out of the stoic man. Maybe it was just his boisterous nature, but something in Naruto wanted to see the other man lose control.

"Oh well I'm glad that it meets with his majesty's approval." Naruto says and bows with a flourish.

"It does indeed. You are dismissed." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Please don't hesitate to summon me, if you need anything." Naruto says and walks off.

Sasuke tilts his head as the blonde did so. He'd never admit it out loud, but the blonde did cut an impressive figure. He shakes his head. Such thoughts were foolish and a waste of time, he'd never see him again after this heist.

* * *

On the Sharingan, Itachi was showing Gaara around. It was a strange feeling. In a way, he felt like a proud father. The red head had become one of the most well known and feared pirates on the seas. On the other hand, he felt a little dirty. Said red head had also grown up to be a very attractive man. A man that he remembered as a starving boy, who he should not be admiring in such a fashion.

"So what do you think?" Itachi asks after awhile.

"It really is a beautiful ship. Wherever did you get the money for it?" The red head asks and Itachi smirks.

"It's quite the long tale. Come I'll get us some ale and we can discuss it in detail, if it pleases you." Gaara nods and follows the elder Uchiha brother to the liquor cabinet.

Itachi pours them each a drink. He smiles as he begins the story. The Captain remembers it like it was only yesterday.

 _"Itachi, she is a good match for you. She's a woman with a title, good breeding, and a pretty face. What more could you possibly want?" Fugaku roared at his son._

 _"I want love. I don't want to marry some broodmare that will bore me to tears. I am naught marrying her." Itachi thundered right back at his father._

 _Itachi was vaguely aware of his younger brother, watching them from behind the corner. He sighed. Itachi certainly didn't want Sasuke to see the row that was about to happen. But there was nothing he could do about it. Once his father started, there was no going back._

 _Oh Fugaku Uchiha had never struck his children with his hand. His words were another matter. He had been a stern man. The Uchiha Patriarch expected full obedience from his children. So did most fathers for that matter. When he didn't get it, things tended to get rather loud._

 _"If you do not marry her, I will disown you!" He threatened._

 _"Then do it. Sasuke can be the heir. I am not going to marry someone that I do not love." Itachi snapped at him and raced off to his room._

 _He knew that he had to pack quickly. This was not going to be an easy separation. Itachi expected his father to follow him. He was surprised when he saw his little brother peer into his room cautiously._

 _"Take me with you." Sasuke said._

 _"Sasuke, your place is here. This is not your fault. You should stay with father and one day you will be Lord of this castle." He told his brother._

 _Sasuke shook his head. It was on that day, that Itachi Uchiha learned just how stubborn his younger brother could be. Once Sasuke got an idea into his head, there was no going back._

 _"I'm going with you." He said firmly._

 _Somehow they found themselves at the docks. There was a beautiful ship there. The brothers had no plan in mind, they were just admiring it. That's how they met Orochimaru._

 _"I see you have Sea Eyes. Your eyes both shine with love for the Sea and this ship. That's rare for nobles." The man said._

 _Itachi knew the man to be a pirate. He was missing a hand. In its place was a hook. Sasuke seemed fascinated by this and perhaps a little frightened. Itachi didn't blame his brother for the last part._

 _"We are no longer nobles. Our father disowned me and my brother insisted on coming with me. I tried to talk some sense into him, but alas, he is stubborn." Itachi replied with a shrug._

 _"You both seem like strong, healthy boys to me. I can always use an extra hand on the ship. Come with me. You can see the world. It's not as though your other options are particularly compelling." He mused._

 _Itachi looked at Sasuke. Sasuke was only twelve summers. He was not quite considered a man yet. It would be difficult for him to pick up a trade this young. Still he was too old to get much sympathy as a beggar on the streets. Itachi might fare better, but it would hard to provide for himself and his brother. Like it or not, the hooked man spoke the truth._

 _Eventually, Itachi and Sasuke ended up killing Orochimaru. Orochimaru had grown dangerously obsessed with them both. It was kill or be killed. After they disposed of their former mentor, they took his ship. Ever since then, they were simply referred to as_ ** _The Brothers._** _Very few pirates were blessed enough to rival them in wealth or reputation as they had learned well from their late teacher._

"You killed Orochimaru? The man was a legend." Gaara gasps.

"Well Sasuke and I killed him together, but yes. That is what happened. The Sharingan has been ours ever since. I don't regret it. The man was unhinged. I do not allow anyone to threaten myself or my brother and live to tell the tale." Itachi says and pours them another glass of ale.

The red head could scarcely believe it. He knew that Itachi was an honest man, but still. Orochimaru had terrorized the High Seas for decades. Even Kings and Queens had been afraid of him. Yet, the brothers had killed him with apparent ease and stolen his ship.

"Remind me, never to make an enemy of you or Sasuke." He muses as he savors his second cup.

"I don't think that you could ever do so. Besides, you are intelligent enough that I don't think such a reminder is necessary." Itachi muses.

Gaara fought back the impulse to shiver. There was just something seductive about the way Itachi had said that. If such a thing were possible, he would wonder if Itachi had any Siren blood in him. His voice was truly a gift.

"That is very kind of you to say." He replies.

"I'm not in the habit of saying things to be kind. I prefer honesty, when there isn't gold involved." Itachi informs him.

The red head snorts in amusement. Oh yes, pirates would tell many a lie for gold. He had been guilty of that more than a few times. That he wouldn't take personally.

"Then how do I know you won't try to double cross Naruto and I, if we find the treasure?" The red head asks.

Itachi's lips twitch upwards in amusement. It was a rare man who would so openly question him. Perhaps that was what he liked about the red head. Maybe he knew that one day the terrified boy would become a rather brave man.

"You have no way of knowing that we are not already planning to slit your pretty throats. However, the same is true in reverse. We can not be completely certain that you are not planning on betraying us." The elder Uchiha answers his question.

"I do admire your frankness." Gaara muses.

"Is that all you admire about me?" Itachi asks rather boldly.

Gaara blinks. He could only hope that he was not actually blushing. Was Itachi actually making an advance towards him or just playing with games with his mind? The young pirate didn't even really knew if Itachi preferred men or not.

There were of course rumors about him. Naturally, there were. If you became a famous pirate, your sex life was bound to become a topic of conversation. Many men and women had claimed to have bedded the handsome Captain. Gaara wondered how many were liars and how many had been telling the truth though.

"One would think that you are fishing for compliments, with a question like that." Gaara says.

"I may have been. One's…ego can never get enough stroking." The Sharingan Captain informs him.

Yes, Itachi was definitely making advances towards him. Whether they were genuine or not, he wasn't certain. Either way, there was no mistaking the obvious innuendos anymore.

"I suppose not. Well I look forward to discovering Kurama's treasure and becoming richer than the Kings and Queens themselves with you." The Captain of Suna responds.

"I look forward to that as well. Good night, Gaara. Pleasant dreams." Itachi says as he strides out of the cabin with a sensual feline grace.

"What in the name of the Seven Seas, did I just get myself into?" The red head asks himself.


	2. Chapter 2

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Oh and feel free to weigh in on relationship dynamics, if you have a preference for who you think should be the 'aggressor' in either or both of the relationships.

Chapter 2

A week later and both ships were sailing out on the open ocean. The Sharingan and Konoha cut quite the impressive picture as they seemed to almost glide over the beautiful blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Speaking of impressive, Naruto couldn't help but glance at the young Uchiha brother in appreciation.

Sasuke was currently sitting next to some of the other members of their crew. The men and women were playing cards. More specifically, they were playing a rather erotic version of poker. If you lost, you had to remove an article of clothing. Most of the women were only clad in their undergarments and many of the men were not faring much better.

"Three Queens." Sasuke says triumphantly.

"Damn it!" Suigetsu grumbles and begins to reach for his trousers, much to the delight of some of the women.

"Oi! I don't need to be seeing your sword. You lost. Everyone knows it." Naruto calls out.

Sasuke looks back at Naruto in amusement. He decides the Captain is either bashful or prefers only to admire women. Either way, this could prove quite entertaining.

"I don't know what you are so flustered about, Captain. Most of us here have the same parts and the women aren't protesting." Sasuke taunts him.

There were a few giggles and snickers from Sharingan and Konoha crew members alike. Naruto just gapes at Sasuke. He couldn't believe he had 'challenged' him in such a way, with so many crew members watching.

"Your parts are about to be hurting you mighty badly, if keep speaking to me that way." Naruto warns him.

Logically, he knew that it was probably intended to be a gentle ribbing. He doubted that the dark haired pirate actually meant anything malicious by it. Still he couldn't let this slide.

Naruto barely knew about half of the crew on this ship. He was still establishing his authority over them. He didn't appreciate Sasuke making that just a little bit harder than it needed to be. Sharingan crew members had to learn how to take him seriously and such taunts were not going to help them do that.

"I think that was a challenge." Sasuke says, rising to his feet with an almost otherworldly speed and grace.

"Only you can not learn how to hold your tongue and show respect to your Captain!" The blonde thunders at him.

Naruto mentally cursed. The blue eyed pirate didn't want to be bickering with Sasuke. He especially didn't want to be doing it in front of half the crew, but the younger Uchiha had provoked him into it.

"Put your mind at ease, Captain. I have never shown disrespect towards MY Captain. You just aren't him. You're Captain of Konoha, but I am the First Mate of the Sharingan. I have no reason to hold my tongue around you. You are not my superior." Sasuke informs him.

There was stunned silence. The gauntlet had been laid down. Everyone watched with baited breath to see how Naruto would react to THAT declaration.

"If you apologize right now, I'll assume you only said something that foolish because you were drunk off your arse. I'll forget your insubordination." The Konoha's Captain says.

"I might have had a few flasks of ale, but it takes more than to make lose control of myself. I am not going to apologize for telling the truth. You're Captain of this ship. This isn't my ship though. We are equals here." Sasuke replies with defiance flashing in his eyes.

Damn it. Now Naruto had no choice. He was going to have to fight the other man. He couldn't let THAT go unanswered. He unsheathes his sword.

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to beat some sense into that stubborn arse of yours! On this ship, I am Captain. You are my subordinate." The blonde growls at him.

"I'm trembling with…excitement." Sasuke replies and unsheathes his own sword.

The two pirates begin circling each other. The Sharingan and Konoha crew members were watching with excitement and a little fear. They all knew that these were two master swordsmen. Someone could die, if one of them didn't yield.

"I'll let you live, if you yield." Naruto says as he charges at Sasuke.

"Funny, I was just about to make the same offer to you." Sasuke replies and dodges.

Sasuke managed to spin around quickly. He immediately raises his sword to block Naruto's. The blonde had gone in for a second strike. Steel meet steel and clashed together loudly as they both tried to overpower the other.

The First Mate was forced to take a step back, but he holds his own. Sasuke frowns as he realizes that Naruto had the upper hand when it came to raw strength, if only just. He'd have to rely on speed to win this fight.

"Just yield!" Naruto snarls at him.

"Never!" Sasuke roars right back at him and does a roll backwards, his feet coming dangerous close to smashing Naruto in the face as he does so.

It was more to startle the blonde. He wasn't actually trying to kick him in the face. He just needed to make sure while he tumbled always, that it was unlikely the Captain would slash him to ribbons.

That was when a large man with orange hair stepped between the two combatants. Naruto had never seen a man that size before, save for Kisame. He was absolutely fearless to get in the middle of a sword fight.

"Stop. We are all working together on this heist. There's no reason to fight each other." He says.

"Jugo, stand down. Naruto and I have different views as to what my role on this ship is. I'm merely clearing up his confusion on the matter." Sasuke says.

Naruto watches 'Jugo' carefully. He was trying to come across as a neutral party, but the blonde wasn't buying it. The man was standing between Sasuke and Naruto's blade. He was acting as a shield. Konoha's Captain didn't know why that irritated him, but it did. A lot.

"Sasuke, what do you think our Captain would say, if he found out you were provoking Captain Uzumaki like this?" He asks.

The First Mate sighs. Damn. As much as he was loathed to admit it, Jugo had a point. Itachi wouldn't be very pleased with Sasuke if he found out. That was unfortunate. Sasuke was having a grand ole time fighting with the blonde. Nothing excited him more than a good fight.

"Fine. Naruto, you aren't my Captain. But I will respect your orders because this is your ship. Well as long as your orders aren't stupid." Sasuke says as he walks off with the giant man.

Naruto just watches flabbergasted as Sasuke walks off. He couldn't believe it. The feisty pirate had just stopped fighting, almost immediately after Jugo asked him to. He knew it was foolish, but he couldn't suppress his jealousy. Were they lovers?

* * *

Sasuke heads back to his cabin with Jugo. He sighs and shuts the door behind them. He knew he was going to get an earful.

"Why would you put yourself in harm's way like that, over nothing?" Jugo asks.

"I don't know. I just enjoy provoking him. It's amusing. I know you were only worried about my safety. I appreciate it, but next time…don't interfere. I don't want to lose face in front of the crews." Sasuke says and Jugo nods.

Sasuke just didn't have it in him to be angry with Jugo. If anyone else had intervened, he would have kicked them in the balls or smacked them on the head with his sword. Jugo was Jugo though. It would be like beating your dog for trying to protect you. It was just wrong. He smiles as he remembers how he met the other man.

 _Sasuke and Itachi knew that it was a gamble, but they had to do it. They had to kill Orochimaru. Neither of the brothers were naïve by this point. Each of them knew what the looks that Orochimaru gave them meant. The only way to escape his "affections" was for him to be dead._

 _"Sasuke, have you gone mad?! You just released a beserker!" Itachi shouted at him._

 _"We had to even the odds out somehow!" The younger Uchiha cried out and swung his sword at yet another opponent._

 _There were simply too many men on that ship who were loyal to Orochimaru. Itachi and Sasuke were skilled fighters, but not that skilled. Jugo would even things out. It was a gamble though. The man was a beast in battle. A mindless beast intent on destroying anything in his way._

 _The battle was beyond bloody, but eventually the brothers managed to kill Orochimaru. There was just one problem. A beserker did not care who was friend and who was foe during a fight._

 _"Jugo, calm down. Kimimaro wouldn't want you to do this. Orochimaru is dead now. He can't hurt anyone else. You can start a new life. He would want you to be happy." Sasuke said as he cautiously took a step towards the giant man._

 _It was truly a miracle. Sasuke would never understand it, for some reason…Jugo listened. Instead of trying to kill the brothers, he embraced Sasuke tightly. Apparently, he was happy that his lover had been avenged._

 _Kimimaro had been Orochimaru's favorite cabin boy, until he came down with an illness. It might have been treatable with a proper doctor, but Orochimaru didn't want to risk docking so close to the English fleet. So Kimimaro had died. Jugo believed that Orohcimaru had murdered his lover, albeit in an indirect way. Ever since that day, Jugo vowed to be Sasuke's "shield." This was a promise that he had faithfully kept thus far. Other than Itachi, the mostly gentle giant was the only man that Sasuke trusted completely._

"Alright. But you really shouldn't put yourself in danger like that." Jugo says.

"I'm fine. Naruto didn't want to kill me anyway. He was practically begging me to yield." Sasuke muses.

* * *

Meanwhile on the Sharingan, Itachi and Gaara were looking at a map. The two Captains were trying to decide where they should go next. They needed to find a clue as to where Kurama's treasure might be.

"Do you really believe it exists?" The red head asks.

"Nay. I do not. I know that Naruto does though." The Sharingan Captain replies honestly.

Gaara looks at the other man in confusion. If Itachi didn't believe that Kurama's treasure existed, why did he agree to this voyage? It made no sense.

"Then why are you here? Why are you chasing after something you believe can not be found?" The red head inquires.

"Kurama's treasure likely doesn't exist, but if it does…I'd like to find it. If it doesn't, then I suspect we will find many other treasures along the way. We will not be going home, empty handed. Besides, I was curious. I had not seen you in years. I wanted to see what became of that street urchin that I saved all those years ago." Itachi confesses.

Gaara blinks. Itachi was basically saying that he mostly wanted to see what became of him and line his pockets with whatever loot they happened to plunder along the way. That would be touching, if it wasn't Itachi saying it. There had to be an ulterior motive. The elder Uchiha brother was not one to pursue someone or something purely for sentimental reasons. Everyone knew that.

"I suppose three crews combined will plunder far more loot than two would have. I confess myself surprised that you were so curious as to what happened to me." Gaara muses.

Itachi pauses. He was not entirely certain what would be the best approach to take. If he was too blunt, then the red head might bolt. On the other hand, if he was too subtle…that would achieve the desired outcome either.

"That much is true. As for my curiosity, I only do a good deed once a decade. It's only natural to be curious as to their outcomes. I believe our best bet is to stop at the Sannin Port. If anyone would know about the treasure, it would be the people there. They are an…odd sort." He states with open amusement.

The red head snorts. That was putting it rather charitably. The Sannin Port was also known as Triangle of Death. Three islands surrounding it. They were informally known as Lust, Liquor, and Loss.

The legend of the islands went as follows. Once there were three pirates that sailed the Seven Seas together. Each of them would end up claiming an Isle.

Tsunade claimed she claimed the first island and started a famous tavern there. It became known as the Liquor Isle. The second was a man named Jirayia. On his island, one could explore the sensual pleasures of life without fear of any judgment. This island was dubbed Lust Isle. Finally, Orochimaru's island. This was known as the Loss Isle because it was a place frequented by assassins. Anyone name who was mentioned there, was likely to lose their life. It was sometimes referred to as the Isle of the Lost for that very reason.

"Are you so eager to die an early death? You must know what goes on there." Gaara exclaims.

"I am not eager to die an early death. We will all be fine. Do not fret. I wouldn't let anything happen to you. Besides, I think that the Lust Isle would be the safest place to start out of the three. Do you not agree?" The handsome captain asks.

"That's like asking if one would prefer getting eaten by a shark, run through by a sword, or dying from an infection. I suppose in this case, the sword would be "safest." The sassy Captain informs him.

"And the sword in this content is which of the three Isles?" Itachi inquires with no small amount of amusement.

"The Isle of Lust." The Suna Captain replies.

Itachi nods. He heads off to find a messenger pigeon. He quickly pens a letter to his brother and ties it to the leg of the bird. The animal took off towards the other ship.

"How do you ever manage to get them to do that?" The other man asks.

"Oh I train them from the time they are babies. They are quite smart. Of course, one has to know how to coax them." Itachi observes.

"Well I'm certain that coaxing beasts and men into doing your bidding, has never been an issue for you." Gaara mutters.

"I like to think that I can be rather persuasive, yes." The elder Uchiha says and his eyes dance with amusement.

At first, Gaara wasn't certain what was causing Itachi so much merriment. That's when he repeated his words in his head. The elder man had taken them the wrong way.

"Is your head forever in the gutter? The Isle of Lust suits you very well. I should think that you will end up being its Governor." The red head snaps at him, feeling rather embarrassed.

"Perhaps my mind did wander to unsavory places, but you were not far behind me. Tis only natural, when one is discussing that Isle." Itachi replies with a shrug.

The younger captain mentally chides himself. How could he have been so foolish? He let Itachi get the better of him. Now he looked like a bashful boy, instead of a man who was in charge of a mighty pirate ship. Damn it!

"I imagine you have that effect on many people." Gaara mutters.

It was childish. He realized it. The red head had basically told Itachi, _"You started it!"_ Unfortunately, he could not think of a better rebuttal at the time and so it would have to do.

"You are just full of flattery today." Itachi comments from his position on his chair.

The elder Uchiha knew that it likely wasn't the smart move. He had no way of knowing if Gaara was even interested in men. Still he gave into the impulse anyway and pulls the feisty red head into his lap.

"It's not really flattery." Gaara stammers.

"Then what would you call it, my dear Captain?" Itachi asks curiously.

"Accurate observations. God help Naruto, if Sasuke is anything like you." Gaara mutters as he jumps off the other man's lap.

The pirate didn't delude himself. He was in love with the other man, but he didn't know if Itachi felt the same way. Itachi might be just engaging in flirtation to get a rise out of him. Seducing him could be a smart move on his part as well. After all, what better way to rob someone blind than to make them think you were in love with them?

"Sasuke is quite different than me. He's rather…selective about who he takes to his bed. He's never felt the need to hone his seduction skills. Women and men alike throw their affections towards him quite freely, without any prompting. He just ignores most of them." Itachi observes with great mirth.

"And what of you? Do you graciously accept the affections that are thrown at you?" Gaara asks as he tries to keep the bitterness out of his tone.

He wouldn't do it. The red head knew he didn't have the right. He didn't have the right to act as though he was a jealous lover. Itachi owed him nothing. It shouldn't concern him in the slightest who the other Captain took his bed, but it did.

That fact disturbs Gaara greatly. What troubled him even more though, was that there was apparently nothing he could do about it. He was jealous of people that he didn't even know existed for certain. Jealous of imaginary lovers of Itachi. He was pathetic.

"I occasionally indulge, but I am always rather honest in my intentions. I assure you that I've never led a lover on or left them wanting." Itachi replies.

Yes, they were heading into very dangerous waters here. Fortunately, the red head was an expert sailor. He could navigate away from these metaphorical rocks and steer them back towards a safer topic of conversation.

""That's good to know. How long do you think it will take the bird to reach Konoha?" He asks softly.

Itachi's lips twitch upwards. He couldn't fully hide his amusement. The red head was squirming and he knew it. The pirate knew that he should feel guilty for making the other man so flustered, but he couldn't. It was all just too endearing to watch.

"They are not that far behind us. I'd say half a day at most." Itachi informs him.

It was enjoyable to watch Gaara squirm, but Itachi wasn't a fool. He knew that there was really only so far he could push the other man before he would react negatively. He was not entirely certain that he could persuade the red head to join him in his bed, but now he knew that Gaara did find men appealing. His reactions were not those of a man who only preferred women.

"That's good. About your brother, do you think there will be issues aboard Konoha? He's used to acting more as your co-captain than a First Mate. He doesn't have that kind of relationship with Naruto." Suna's Captain asks.

Itachi tries to hide his smirk. Gaara was quite clever. He was trying to shift the conversation to his brother, in an effort to make it more respectable. He decides to humor him and allow the other pirate to believe that his ploy had worked.

"Oh I'm almost certain there will be issues. That's what makes it all so delightfully entertaining." Itachi answers honestly.

Gaara raises an eyebrow. The elder man had just basically said he put Sasuke on the same ship with Naruto in order to fuck with them. He knew that they would clash.

"You knew this, yet you still put them on the same ship? Is that not counterproductive? We will not find nearly as much plunder, if they are spending all their time fighting with each other over position." The red head points out.

"Oh I'm certain that they will fight like cats and dogs for awhile, but they'll manage in the end. Until then, it will be quite entertaining for both of us. My foolish little brother can be quite stubborn. From what I know of your friend, he is the same way." The elder Uchiha brother confesses.

Gaara shakes his head. Well perhaps it wasn't that outrageous. Brothers and sisters quarreled all the time. It was only natural that they would poke and prod at each other. Apparently, the Uchihas just took this to extremes.

"I just hope they don't kill each other." He mutters.

"I doubt that would happen. Sasuke may be impulsive, but he's not that foolish. He wouldn't kill the Captain of the ship, when half of the crew would try to slit his throat for it." Itachi replies.

Gaara quirks an eyebrow. The elder man had absolute faith in Sasuke's combat abilities it seemed. Naruto was a terror with a sword. Itachi had to be aware of this. He highly doubted Itachi Uchiha would agree to go along with Naruto's quest, if he thought the blonde couldn't handle himself. Despite this, he just assumed that Sasuke would win a battle to the death against the blue eyed pirate.

"That's quite the assumption." The red head observes.

"Whatever do you mean?" Itachi asks as he pours them both a flask of some fine rum.

This was the good stuff. Gaara knew that it would cost most people's a week's wages to afford a single bottle of it. Itachi didn't skimp. Was he trying to impress him?

"You assume that your brother would best Naruto if it came down to a life or death battle. Naruto is quite competent with a sword and even better with his fists." The Captain of Suna informs him.

"Oh I'm well aware of that. I suppose it is familial pride that makes me assume Sasuke would win. Truthfully, your guess would be as good as mine. Still Sasuke has one thing that Naruto lacks. He has a killer instinct. So do you for that matter." Itachi observes.

Gaara was almost afraid to ask what Itachi meant by that. His curiosity got the better of him though. He had to know what was on the other man's mind.

"What do you mean by that?" He demands.

"You and Sasuke will not hesitate to kill in battle. You don't necessarily get pleasure from it, but you don't shy away from it. Naruto will always spare his opponent, if given a choice. I've watched both of you for years. I know your fighting styles." Itachi admits with a shrug.

 _"I've watched both of you for years."_ Gaara knew that Itachi meant it in a professional sense. It was only intelligent to watch rival pirates closely. You never knew when you might have to do battle with them. Unfortunately, his heart didn't want to listen to his mind. His heart was pleased that Itachi considered him worthy of watching and that was cause for alarm.

"That is accurate when it comes to me and Naruto. I do not know your brother, so I can not judge him with any certainty. What of yourself?" Gaara asks.

"I am more like Naruto in this regard, but when it comes to protecting those precious to me…I will not hesitate to do what needs to be done." Itachi assures him.

"I'll hold you to that. Something tells me this wild goose chase may very well get all of us into a lot of trouble." Gaara says and Itachi could only nod in agreement.


	3. Chapter 3

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. Well so far Itachi and Naruto are viewed by the majority of people as being a better fit to make the first move. Itachi doesn't surprise me, though the hilarious Naruto/Sasuke explanations did. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Privateer:** Basically these people are more or less doing the same thing as pirates, but they have been hired by someone to do so. Queen Elizabeth I is famous for using them.

Chapter 3

A few hours later, Naruto sighs when the messenger pigeon arrives. He quickly reads the note attached to its foot. He couldn't put it off any longer, the blonde knew he was going to have to talk to Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" He calls out as he knocks on the raven haired pirate's cabin door.

Sasuke rises to his feet and heads to the door. He wasn't surprised that it was Naruto at this point. He recognized the Captain's voice and knew that any pirate worth their salt wasn't going to let Sasuke's challenge go unanswered. The younger Uchiha was fully expecting a confrontation and mentally braces himself for it as he opens the door.

"Yes, Captain?" Sasuke asks in a mocking tone.

He knew it was childish, but he couldn't resist. There was just something endlessly entertaining about riling the handsome blonde up. Idly, he wonders if maybe that was just the ale talking.

"Sasuke, don't sass me. We got important news. Itachi and Gaara want to go to the Isle of Lust. They think we might find out something about Kurama's treasure there." The Captain of Konoha informs him.

Sasuke blinks. All traces of amusement and teasing were suddenly gone from his demeanor. Had Itachi lost his mind? Surely, there had to be other places they could investigate first. Why would he want to go to the Triangle of Death?!

"Do you agree with that decision?" The raven haired pirate asks.

"I don't know. I'm shocked that they would suggest going THERE. The people on that isle are dangerous." The blue eyed Captain replies.

The First Mate nods. There wasn't much that shocked Sasuke anymore when it came to deviancy. The Isle of Lust was one of the few places that made him uneasy. Just hearing the name, made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. This was also true for almost anyone who hadn't gone at least half mad.

"We should probably try to dock somewhere first. Perhaps we can talk them out of this insanity." Sasuke mutters and the blonde nods in agreement.

"That's a good idea. Oh and one more thing." Naruto says.

"What is it?" Sasuke asks and umpfs when he felt himself pushed against the wall.

Sasuke's back was towards Naruto and that made him very nervous. Having your back exposed to an armed man, was never a good thing. He tries to slip out of the blonde's hold, but it was useless. Naruto had him held firmly in place.

"Don't do it again. Don't challenge me like that in front of the crew again. I don't want to have to fight you, but I will. Don't think for one second that I won't knock you on that pretty arse of yours." Naruto whispers hotly into his ear and keeps Sasuke tightly pinned against the wall.

Naruto knew that he had to pull rank. This was one way to do that. Though privately, the blonde realized that he didn't have to assert his authority over Sasuke in such a provocative way.

"Didn't realize that my arse was such a fascinating topic to you. Pretty?" Sasuke taunts him.

There were a million ways he could have punished Sasuke. He could have demoted him. The blonde could have hit him. The Captain could have assigned him to do some harsh manual labor on the ship that the raven haired pirate would likely view as an insult to his skill level.

He didn't have to shove Sasuke against the wall like this. Like he was going to take him against the wall. But he did.

He couldn't deny that he enjoyed the sight of the defiant First Mate like this. Completely at his mercy and for some reason his creamy neck was taunting him. Just like its owner.

"It's an expression. Don't get cocky, Uchiha. Besides the shape of your backside is not the point. The point is you are a member of my crew now! You need to act like it." Naruto growls at him.

The blonde had the impulse to mark it. It would teach him a lesson. Thankfully, he still had enough common sense not to give into that whim. Sasuke would have probably tried to kill him, if he had.

"I suggest you get off of me." Sasuke hisses at him.

Sasuke whirls around the second that Naruto releases him. He slams the other man onto the bed and straddles his waist. The Uchiha was pulling back his arm and probably about to punch him when the door opened.

"Sasuke, someone said that a pigeon just arrived. Thought you ought to know." Jugo says as he walks into the room.

It took a minute for the large man to register what he saw. Naturally, he saw Sasuke straddling Naruto's waist on top of the bed and his mind jumped to conclusions. Anyone else would have done the same really.

"Well I had hoped that you two would work things out, but isn't exactly how I pictured you doing so." The orange haired man observes.

"It's not what it looks like. We weren't about to _do_ anything! I was about to punch him for being an idiot. This dunce actually thought he could pull rank over me." Sasuke exclaims.

"Sasuke, it doesn't matter to me, if you prefer men. I'll just leave you two alone. It seems like you would appreciate the privacy." Jugo says as he wanders off.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Sasuke protests, but Jugo was already gone.

Naruto blinks. He looks up at Sasuke in confusion. The Captain of Konoha had been positive that he and the larger man were lovers. Jugo hadn't acted as a lover though. He hadn't been jealous, more surprised than anything.

"So you two aren't…together?" The blue eyed man asks.

"No. Jugo isn't my lover. He's more like a second brother than anything. Wait. Why am I telling you this?! My relationship with him is none of your business." Sasuke says as he gets off of Naruto.

He couldn't help it. Sasuke felt embarrassed. Jugo had walked in on them and now thought that they were lovers. Well at least Jugo had walked in on him, while he was on top. So that was a small mercy.

Sasuke knew his preferences. He'd known them from a young age. His bedpost had a lot less notches on it than most pirates. But that didn't mean that he hadn't taken any lovers.

He had taken a few men and women to his bed. In general, Sasuke knew that he preferred men. It was a rare woman that caught his eye, but it had happened before.

"Guilty conscience for insulting threatening your captain, would be my guess." Naruto says.

He wasn't ashamed that if given the choice, he'd choose a man over a woman to warm his bed, more often than not. Most pirates did eventually explore what both sexes had to offer. Sasuke just didn't make it a habit to let everyone know what he liked and didn't like when it came to carnal delights.

"The only way one could have a guilty conscience, is if they had a conscience in the first place. I have none. So I don't feel any guilt." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Right. Well if you keep acting like a badly behaved Cabin Boy, I'll just have to discipline you more later. I got more important things to do now though." Naruto says as he begins penning a response to the message.

"I'm the badly behaved cabin boy?!" Sasuke asks in disbelief.

"Yes, that's right. You should respect your Captain's authority. You are an experienced First Mate. You should really know better." Naruto says with a nod as he continues writing.

 ** _Dear Itachi and Gaara,_**

 ** _We should dock at the next Port. Sasuke and I want to discuss our next move._**

 ** _Captain Naruto Uzumaki_**

He heads out of the room and straps the message to the pigeon's leg. It soon takes off. Sasuke follows him and watches as the bird soars through the sky.

"Hopefully, they listen." He mutters.

"Yeah, hopefully." Naruto agrees.

* * *

Meanwhile back on the Sharingan, Gaara just gapes. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Just how drunk where these men?

"Don't mind them. They get quite theatrical after they've had a few drinks." Itachi muses.

There was a man with long blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed up as a woman. A rather foul-mouthed man was performing with him. To say the least, the scene was rather suggestive.

"So then I offer to show the tavern wench my sword. She was just as pretty as could be, with hair just like Deidara's here!" Hidan continues on with his tale.

"Their stark raving mad. The entire lot of them are." Gaara muses.

"Aye, but they are the finest crew that ever sailed the Seven Seas." Itachi counters.

Gaara had never met a man who swore even half as much as Hidan and that was saying something. The red head had sailed with Captain Kisame after all!

"The second finest." Gaara informs Itachi.

Itachi raises an eyebrow in amusement. It seemed his little red head had decided to be competitive today. Hmm should he debate with him or just humor the young Captain? It might be fun to rile him up.

"Yes, your crew is probably the second finest on the Seven Seas." He teases him.

Itachi barely manages to suppress a chuckle. It was fun to see Gaara bristle like an angry cat. Red heads were just so amusing to provoke. The entire lot of them were sinfully easy to rile.

"No, my crew is the finest and yours is the second finest." The Captain of Suna insists.

"Oh I am sure that they are a fantastic crew. They just aren't as fantastic as mine." Itachi says.

Gaara twitches. He knew that Itachi was ribbing him. Still he couldn't let that go. He unsheathes his sword.

"Take that back at once!" He warns Itachi.

Itachi smirks. He gets behind Gaara and disarms the red head. Then he pushes the feisty captain against a large barrel of ale, keeping his hands over his head.

"You are a good Captain. So protective of your crew, even when they aren't here to hear what I said." Itachi muses and he was about to lean in to steal a kiss, when one of the men started yelling.

"CAPTAINS! I SEE A ROYAL SHIP APPROACHING US!" He yelled.

"A royal ship?!" Itachi demands and the pirate nods in confirmation.

"Damn it. Try to evade them. If it comes to a battle, they likely will have the advantage when it comes to cannons." Itachi thunders.

"AYE, AYE CAPTAIN!" He says and the crew quickly scatter to their positions.

Gaara looks. Damn. It was flying an English flag. This wasn't going to be easy. Konoha was about half a day behind them. They likely wouldn't get caught up in the battle, but they wouldn't be able to tell them what happened.

"We'll have to outrun them. Sasuke and Naruto should be able to figure out that we went to the Isle of Lust." Gaara states and Itachi nods in agreement.

The English ship soon chases after them. It was apparent that whoever was in charge of that vessel, recognized the Sharingan. It was after all Itachi's ship. Itachi was one of the most wanted men in all of Europe.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. The sounds of cannons was heard as the English fleet fired on the ship. Thankfully, Konan had managed to take the wheel. There were few sailors who were better than she, when it came to speed.

She was one of only a handful of women on the crew. Konan was the first women to join the Sharingan. Perhaps that was why she was so skilled. Itachi suspected that she felt she had to prove herself the equal of any of her fellow crew members.

"Can we really out sail them?" Gaara whispers to Itachi.

"We are going to try." The other Captain says.

"TAKE THAT, YOU FUCKING SCUM!" Hidan cries out madly as he fires off some of their own cannons.

Sasori sighs. Hidan really did have such a filthy mouth. It wasn't as if screaming at the other ship was going to help things. He shakes his head and mans his own cannon.

"This isn't good! Sooner or later some of those balls are going to hit our ship. We need to get to a port and hope they don't see us dock." Zetsu calls out.

"KONAN, FULL SPEED AHEAD!" Itachi cries out and the pirate woman does exactly that.

Pein quickly scales the mast. He takes out his crossbow. The English ship was gaining on them. He needed to even the odds. He takes the shot and the arrow strikes the English Captain right in the chest. He falls over dead.

"THAT SHOULD BUY US A FEW MOMENTS. GO! GO!" Pein yells.

Konan didn't need to be told twice. The Sharingan quickly sails off. She glances over her shoulder and was relieved to see they were putting some distance between them and the ship. Maybe they would get out of this alive after all.

* * *

Back on the English ship, it was complete chaos. Their Captain was dead. The First Mate had to step in. He was a young man named Haku. Despite his youth, he was a fine sailor.

"Captain, what are we to do now?!" Someone asks.

"We will give Zabuza, a proper burial and pursue them as far as we can. Someone get in touch with Kakashi. This has been allowed to go on for far too long. Her Majesty will not be pleased at this latest attack. The best way to kill a pirate, is to send another pirate after them. Kakashi is the best privateer we have. If anyone can avenge our Captain, it is he!" Haku exclaims.

Some of the crew members looked at Haku as if they feared he had gone mad. Captain Kakashi had a reputation that could make anyone's blood run cold. Many were shocked that the Queen would have such a man in her employment to begin with.

"Aye, aye Captain." One mutters and goes off to pen the letter.

He didn't agree with this. It was the height of lunacy. You don't put down a mad dog, by sending another after it. If you did, you should expect to get bitten. Grief must be making Haku act this way. Everyone knew that he and the Captain had been lovers.

 **Dear Kakashi,**

 **We humbly request your aid. Our ship encountered the Sharingan. We gave chase. They are trying to out sail us as we speak.**

 **It pains me to say this, but our Captain did not survive the encounter. We simply must put an end to this. You are the only man that we know of, who can do it. Please tell us that you will assist us in this endeavor. I'm certain that the Queen would reward you most handsomely, if you do so.**

 **Sincerely, Mifune**

He sighs and sends the letter off. Honestly, the elderly sailor didn't think anything good was going to come of this. Haku was grieving. It was understandable, but didn't make it any less of a foolish decision.

"Did you send the letter?" Haku asks a few minutes later, when he enters Mifune's cabin.

"Yes, I did. You realize that Kakashi is a loose cannon, right? This may very well backfire on all of us." The other sailor demands.

Haku bites back a snarl. He knew exactly what kind of man Kakashi was. He was the kind of man who was a survivor. The CopyCat Pirate had never lost a battle, not even to his late lover. If anyone could take down the Sharingan, it would be him.

"I am aware of that. Be that as it may, the man gets results. Whatever your opinion of him, you can not deny that." Haku replies.

Mifune sighs and nods. That much is true. Still he couldn't suppress the feeling unease that was building in his gut. Instinct told him that this would not end well and he had long ago learned to trust his instincts.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Sannin Port, Jiraiya and Tsunade were having a meeting. The two pirates knew that a decision would have to be made quickly. What were they going to do with Orochimaru's island?

"We've managed to keep it from spiraling out of control for this long, but that won't always be the case. The smartest thing that we could do would be to sell it." Tsunade muses as she takes another hearty drink from her glass of ale.

The ale was powerful. The busty blonde prided herself on her excellent taste when it came to liquor. She sold the finest drinks in the world, in her mind.

"You may well be right. Still that begs the question. Who could we sell it to and what would be a fair price?" The white haired man replies to his drinking companion.

Tsunade smirks. She does her best to bite back a laugh. A fair price? Since when did either of them care about fairness?

"As much as they are willing to offer. Still you are right, we have to choose carefully. Neither of us wants to deal with some upstart, who will try to take over all three isles." The pirate woman admits.

Jiraiya nods. That was the biggest problem. He and Tsunade were not as young as they used to be. Quite honestly, they had already lived at least 30, if not 40 years longer than the 'average pirate.' There would always be some newcomer, who thought that he or she could make a name for themselves by challenging a Sannin. It never ended well for them, but it was annoying.

"We will need someone wealthy. Someone who wants land and doesn't mind using it for less than ethical purposes, but whose ambition is fairly limited. Hmm… this is a difficult decision." He muses.

"Obito might be a good choice. He certainly has the money and the man has become a recluse in recent years." Tsunade suggests.

Jiraiya considers her suggestion. It was a good one. There was just one problem. The blonde wasn't kidding when she called him a recluse. It was almost impossible to find the man. Oh well. They would manage.

"That's a good suggestion. The only issue would be finding him. Do we have any other candidates?" He asks.

"Well there is always the English Queen. She might want one of the Isles so she can monitor the pirates that come through this region." His friend continues.

Jiraiya immediately shakes his head. A Monarch would put an end to their less than ethical activities. He couldn't allow that to happen. A man had to have some fun, did he not?

"Not a good idea. She could well afford it, but she would ruin all of our fun. You know as well as I, that I speak the truth on this matter." The elderly pirate chides her gently.

"Yes, I suppose that's true. Well she might not shut my business down. She would certainly close yours though. You filthy deviant." Tsunade teases him.

Jiraiya shrugs. He had certainly been called worse. He was used to the other Sannin's gentle teasing by now. It didn't impact him in the slightest.

"Perhaps, but my Isle more than keeps up with yours when it comes to producing funds. That is what we desire most, is it not?" He inquires.

"I can't not argue with that. Giving people an outlet to slake their lust, is always going to be a very profitable business venture. We both know that." She says and giggles slightly.

Jiraiya blinks. Maybe Tsunade had had too much to drink. He hadn't heard her giggle in years. It was somewhat disturbing.

"Perhaps you have had enough. You should retire for the evening. I will make certain that the rowdy patrons do not destroy your establishment. You have my word of honor on that." He promises.

"I don't need you to pretend to be my father. I am just fine. Besides, it's still early." Tsunade replies.

Jiraiya did not think two in the morning was early. Well perhaps it was for Tsunade. She did run the most infamous tavern in all the Seven Seas.

"You should get some rest. It must take quite a lot of sleep to stay that beautiful. Come now. You need to sleep it off or you will regret it in the morning." He chides her gently and Tsunade shrugs.

She gets up and allows him to lead her up the stairs. Tsunade would never allow any other man to do so. She would never allow another man to boss her around. Jiraiya was different though. They had known each other since they were children.

"I suppose you are right. Good night, Jiraiya. See what you can do about getting in touch with Obito. I'm certain that if he is unreachable, we can find another buyer." The elderly woman says.

"I will see what I can do. I make no promises. The man is harder to find than Kurama's treasure sometimes." Jiraiya declares with open amusement.

"I can argue with you there." Tsunade agrees and shuts the door behind her.

She sighs as she looks out the window of her room. The sky was just beginning to lighten. That's when she saw the red. Uh oh.

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning." She murmurs to herself.

Like most pirates, she was superstitious by nature. That was certainly a very bad omen. The busty blonde considers going to find Jiraiya Then she shakes her head. He would just laugh her off. He was one of the few pirates that didn't believe in good luck or bad luck. Jiraiya always said he made his own luck.

"Best stock up on supplies. We are likely going to need it." She muses.

Tsunade had survived to the age of fifty-five because she was always prepared. Most pirates were lucky to live to see their 25th or 30th year, but she and Jiraiya were different. They were a team. He had the people skills and she had the intelligence that meant they would always find a way to land on their feet. This time would be no different.


	4. Chapter 4

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 4

"If we stop at the nearest port, they will likely find us. That's a damn large ship they are on. We can probably out sail them, if we continue straight on until we reach the Isle of Lust. I doubt anyone in the English fleet is mad enough to follow us there." Gaara says.

Itachi considers Gaara's words. Instinct told him to dock as soon as possible, but the red head was right. The English would realize that was likely their next move. The other Captain's suggestion was a sound one.

"Very well. Keep sailing towards the Isle of Lust, Konan." Itachi instructs the pirate woman.

"Yes, Captain!" The blue haired woman replies and continues steering the vessel onward.

Itachi nods. He looks back and was relieved to see that the English ship was a bit further away than it had been before. It was likely they were still reeling from the death of their Captain.

"Good shot, Hidan. Yeah?!" Deidara says.

"Thanks, Princess." Hidan replies as he scans the horizon, just as his Captain was doing.

Gaara couldn't shake his feeling of unease. That had been just a little bit too easy. The English fleet should have posed more of a challenge, even if it was just one ship. Itachi must have sensed his unease because he places his hand on the other man's shoulder reassuringly.

"When a Captain dies, even the strongest ship and finest crew will scramble for a few minutes. Hidan bought us some time. There is no one who can sail faster than Konan. We will make it out of this just fine. Sasuke and Naruto are smart enough to head to the Isle of Lust. You'll see." The Sharingan Captain says.

Gaara nods. That was true. A crew who just lost their Captain was bound to be one that was in disarray. Still such knowledge didn't completely soothe his anxieties. He glances back at the ship that was now in the distance and sighs. The English were not going to just forget about this incident.

Itachi gestures for Gaara to follow him back into the Cabin. The younger man does so without compliant. The last thing they needed was for the two Captains to be seen arguing.

"You're right to be worried, but I have every confidence that we will make it to the Isle of Lust long before they can catch us. Be at peace." Itachi tells him.

"We can out sail them this time, but what about next time? I try not to make a habit out of provoking royal fleets. I prefer to target merchant ships. The money is good and there is less of a chance that it will be my crew's necks that will hang." The red head counters.

Itachi smiles. The Captain of Suna was a cautious man by a pirate's standards. But he couldn't argue that it had served him well. The man's stolen loot could likely rival almost anyone's.

"At the moment, there is naught that we can do about the situation. You should rest. If the crews see that you are anxious, they will share your anxiety. That will naught help any of us." The elder Uchiha reasons.

"I suppose your right. If they do attack, we'll just slit their throats or force them to walk the plank." Gaara says.

"That's better." Itachi says with a smirk and kisses the red head's forehead.

Gaara blinks at the gesture. He doesn't know if it was intended to be chaste or not. His confusion must have shown in his eyes because Itachi decides to clarify his intentions.

"I'm certain that you've heard the rumors. Some are true. Some are exaggerations. Others are outright lies, but the rumor that I prefer to take men to my bed is entirely accurate." The other pirate says.

"I have no issue with that. Many pirates prefer the companionship of other men. It does not change how I see you in the slightest." The red headed Captain replies.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement. Well it wasn't an outright rejection, but it wasn't a yes either. He would just have to be blunt. Sometimes the direct approach really was best.

He leans down and brushes his lips against Gaara's. He sees other Captain's eyes widen, but he wasn't protesting. So Itachi deepens the kiss for a moment and then breaks it.

"Are you certain that it doesn't change your opinion of me at all?" He whispers.

"Well perhaps a little…in a favorable way." Came the reply.

Damn it. Itachi had been outrageous flirting with him the entire trip. He had now kissed him. Whether his intentions were innocent or not, Gaara only had so much self-control.

He wraps his arms around Itachi's neck. The younger man then proceeds to kiss him. Gaara poured everything he had into that kiss. All of his lust, his fear, and his longing for the other man. If they were possibly going to get hung by the English, at least he could say that he finally knew what it was like to kiss the pirate that had stolen his heart.

"You act rather shy for someone who can kiss like that." Itachi says, after returning the kiss.

His red head tasted of strawberries and red wine. For a man, his lips were surprisingly soft. That was countered by how aggressive he was with his tongue. There was a primal passion in the smaller man's kiss that Itachi did find rather intriguing.

"That wasn't an act. I have always felt…drawn to you. I just didn't know if the feeling was mutual. I thought your flirtations might have been a game for you. Something for you to pass the time and amuse yourself with." The red head admits.

"While I would like to play many kinds of games with you, you were never just a passing amusement." Itachi assures him and Gaara smiles.

* * *

Meanwhile Kakashi was back in the English Castle. Well one of the English Castles. There were many castles in England, after all. This happened to be the Queen's favorite though. So it was special in his mind.

Though Kakashi was only in his early thirties, his hair was as gray as an old man. He had just been born that way. If anyone dared to call his hair gray to his face though, he'd gut them like a fish. Smart people had learned a long time ago that the proper way to refer his hair was silver, not gray.

That was likely just one of the many reasons, why so many objected to his close relationship with the Queen. Kakashi didn't care though. The Queen was more annoyed at their gossiping than anything else. He knew his place in the Inner Circle and it was usually between the Queen's creamy thighs.

"Lord Hatake, the Queen will see you now." He hears one of the guards say.

"Thank you." Kakashi replies simply, finding the title to be rather amusing.

He was the furthest thing possible from a Lord. Kakashi was not of royal or noble blood. He was as common as they came.

His family had been poor, like much of the peasantry class. So when the opportunity to earn some extra money came, they took it. Kakashi had been a boy of ten when he joined a his first crew. It was a merchant ship. Most of his duties had consisted of floor mopping and other menial tasks. Still he had made the most of the opportunity.

"Good evening, Your Majesty. I trust you are well." Kakashi says as he heads into the Royal Throne room.

"Quite well. Thank you. Was your voyage a fruitful one?" The Queen asks.

Kakashi had listened to the sailors. While they hadn't gone out of their way to teach him anything useful, he learned everything he needed to know about running a ship. When his time on the merchant's ship was over, he had been able to find work on another. On that ship, he had managed to impress the Captain and become a more respectable member of the crew. Well at the very least he hadn't spent most of his time swapping the deck!

"Very fruitful, Your Highness. The royal coffers will be quite a bit fuller after my men have placed our haul into them." He states with a smile.

It had taken him ten years, but he had finally saved up enough money for his own ship. It had been a modest vessel, but he had used it to his full advantage. Once word of skillful privacy spread, somehow he caught the attention of the Queen.

Kakashi liked many things about the Queen. Of course there was her beauty and she was an excellent lover, but she was also a practical woman. She had spent several years in jail, while her elder sister was on the throne.

Her sister had gone mad with paranoia and thought that her sibling was plotting to assassinate her. Somehow she had outlived her sister and became Queen. The woman was a survivor.

"Excellent. That is good news to her indeed. Unfortunately, I expect that a war with the Spanish is unavoidable. We are going to need every coin we can get, if we are to defeat them. Their Armada is formidable." She states.

"Even the mightiest ship can be sunk, if struck just the right way. I would not fret on it." Kakashi assures her.

"How can I fret with you at my side?" She asks with a sly smile and reaches out her hand to her lover.

"Is that all you want me at? Only your side?" He asks as he takes her hand and sits with her on the throne.

Mei smiles. She was fortunate. So far she was the only English Queen of her age, that had not been forced to marry. That was not for a lack of trying on her advisors part though.

It wasn't that she was against the idea of marriage. She just knew that it couldn't be. Her lover was never a man that the noble classes would tolerate as King. Kakashi's origins were far too common for that to happen and his recent history far too scandalous. He was a legalized pirate and that was that. She didn't care though.

"Oh I can think of a few other places that I would like to have you. Though I do have some concerns. What do you know about the Sharingan and Konoha?" She asks.

"Pirate ships. The Sharingan is owned by a pair of brothers. Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha. They are very dedicated to each other. Konoha's Captain is a man named Naruto Uzumaki. The brothers are ruthless, but Naruto is reckless. Amongst the pirates, they are all feared and respected. Why do you ask, My Queen?" He inquires.

"I have heard whispers about them amongst the nobles. I wanted to know if they are a concern to us." She says.

Kakashi tilts his head to the side. Hmm. Well that was actually a good question. It seemed unlikely, but still he knew better than to say no.

"I find it unlikely. They will go after a royal vessel if they think they can get it, but they don't target us specifically. They are just as likely to go after a Spanish ship as one of our own." He says.

"Good. Well now that that unpleasant business is out of the way, shall we enjoy a stroll through the gardens." She asks with a smile.

"Yes, a _stroll_ through your _gardens_ does sound lovely." He says with a smile and walks off with his Queen.

* * *

Back on Konoha, Sasuke frowns. Itachi should have responded to his letter by now. Something was wrong. He could tell that Naruto had noticed it as well.

"We'll just have to keep heading towards the Isle of Lust and go on the assumption that they sailed there. If we can not find them, we will write the port that was closest to us currently." The blonde says.

"So you do have some brains in that head of yours, after all. I was beginning to wonder." Sasuke says.

"You are such a bastard! I meant what I said! I'm not going to tolerate this level of disrespect. I am your Captain as long as you are on Konoha!" Naruto thunders at him.

Sasuke smirks. It was far too easy to rile him up. He knew that he should feel guilty, but he didn't. He wanted to see what the blonde would do when he snapped. Maybe he'd get a good fight out of it.

"You are the Captain of Konoha, but you are not my Captain." Sasuke says as he walks off.

Naruto growls. Oh that was it! Gorgeous or not, that First Mate was going to end up walking the plank at this rate. He chases after him.

He was blocked though. Jugo got between them. The giant of a man was so massive that Naruto felt like he had just run into a brick wall.

"You know this whole pet dog thing is getting really annoying!" Naruto snaps at Sasuke.

"Don't refer to him as a dog or I will run you through." Sasuke snaps right back at the blonde.

"I am not his dog. I am his shield. If you attack him, you are attacking me as well." Jugo warns Naruto.

Suigetsu and Karin watch from their position of sitting on top of some large barrels of ale. Oh boy. This could get ugly and quickly. The two of them look at each other, as if silently asking if they should step in or not.

"This is madness. You two can not keep bickering like this! We need both of you to work together. Sasuke, the Sharingan crew listens to you. They respect you. Naruto, you are the Captain of this ship. If the two crews see their leaders fighting like this, it won't end well. We'll end up fighting each other, instead of finding treasure!" Sakura exclaims.

Sasuke sighs. As much as he was loathed to admit it, the pink haired woman had a point. Treasure came before pleasure. Always.

You generally needed treasure to engage in activities that resulted in pleasure. Drinking, gambling, or other more deviant acts were some examples. Not that he had ever had to pay to get someone into his bed, but still.

"She's right." Sasuke mutters.

Naruto just gapes at Sakura. He wasn't sure how the female member of his crew had gotten Sasuke to behave, but he was grateful. He sighs and approaches Sasuke.

Jugo had apparently decided it was safe to let the blonde through. The blue eyed pirate couldn't help but resent the orange haired man just a little bit. He was ALWAYS by Sasuke. He was like his fucking shadow or something.

"So are you going to be a good First Mate?" The captain asks.

"I'm the BEST First Mate…when I want to be. I still think Itachi is mad for agreeing to this journey in the first place, but Sakura is right. If we are seen fighting, it won't end well." Sasuke says and sighs.

He privately was mourning the loss of his fun. Of course the First Mate wouldn't admit that out loud. Sasuke would just have to find another way to entertain himself while on this adventure.

"We are all a little mad. If we weren't, we wouldn't be pirates." Naruto replies.

Sasuke smirks at that. Well that much was true. Maybe the boisterous Captain would still keep him entertained, even if they weren't fighting. He was actually…amusing.

"That much is true. I shouldn't have provoked you. I suppose I just miss my ship and my brother. You are just so easy to rile up, that I couldn't resist." Sasuke says with a shrug.

"Apology accepted!" Naruto says brightly.

"Oh that wasn't an apology." Sasuke says with smirk and Naruto raises an eyebrow.

"How was that not an apology, you bastard?!" The blue eyed man demands.

Sasuke Uchiha never apologized. Neither did Itachi. They were pirates and had decided long ago that pirates didn't bother with things like apologies. They were pointless.

"I said I shouldn't have done it. I didn't say that I was sorry I had." The Uchiha elaborates.

"That makes no sense!" Naruto protests at his First Mate's very strange logic.

"It doesn't have to. Good night, Captain." Sasuke says as he heads off with Jugo.

Naruto saw Jugo slide his hand around Sasuke's waist. He knew that the giant was likely just trying to make sure that the Uchiha wouldn't do anything stupid. Still it bothered him. He didn't like seeing the other man touching him.

* * *

Jugo leads Sasuke into his cabin. He shuts the door behind him. Sasuke rolls his eyes. He knew what was coming.

"You and Naruto really need to stop having these lovers' spats." He says.

"We aren't having lovers' spats. We aren't lovers. I know that the position looked suggestive, but that isn't what happened." Sasuke protests.

Jugo gives him a look. It was Sasuke. He knew the man like the back of his hand. He knew what was really going on, even if the First Mate didn't want to admit it to himself.

"You might not be lovers, but you want to be. Other than Itachi, no one's seriously challenged you in a long time. You are used to being in control. Now that you aren't, you don't know how to handle it. So you are lashing out at him because you want him." Jugo says.

"Jugo, don't try to understand what is going on in my mind. I assure you that it is not a place you want to visit." Sasuke warns him.

Sasuke frowns. Jugo's words cut deeper than they should have. Yes, Naruto was very pleasant to look at, but did he actually want him? Maybe. It was fun to taunt him and he could still remember the feeling of Naruto pressing up behind him.

Sasuke shivers as he remembers that incident in vivid detail. Goosebumps slowly formed on his arms. That's when he was forced to admit that his friend was right. Damned if he was going to admit that out loud though.

* * *

Back on the Isle of the Lost, Rin sighs as she wipes her blade. It was stained red with blood. Far more blood than even she was accustomed to. That was certainly saying something because she was an assassin by trade.

Every since Orochimaru's death, the Isle had sunk deeper and deeper into the depths of depravity and cruelty. Oh Tsunade and Jiraiya tried to watch over it, but they had their own Isle to attend to. There was really only so much they could do.

"Well that's another one down." The bartender says as he observes Rin.

"That's the fourteenth man this week. This is becoming tedious. I do hope that the Sannin sell this Isle soon. I would like to be able to find work, without having to leave a trail of bodies behind me. Bodies that I am not getting paid for." She mutters.

The bartender nods. He had been working at the Isle for years. Never before Orochimaru's death, had it been this chaotic. Quite honestly, if it wasn't for Rin, he wasn't sure that he would still be breathing.

Sometimes he wondered how such a beautiful woman had become an assassin. Surely, she must have had offers of marriage. He knew better than to ask though. Prying would only lead you to an early grave on the Isle of the Lost.

"I have to admit, I would prefer it if they were more focused on killing their targets than each other and having a go at me." He confesses.

Rin chuckles. Well she certainly couldn't blame the man there. She imagined most people would share his viewpoint on the subject.

She sighs as she looks around and assesses the damage. Tonight she had killed two men. They had been drunk off their arses and having a go at each other. Unfortunately, others were getting dragged into it. So she had put an end to it.

She calmly walks over to the bulletin board. On this board were a list of potential targets. It listed who was paying, how much, who they wanted dead, and sometimes what manner the wanted that person dispatched in. She skims through the names.

"Kakashi?" She whispers when she read the name.

Rin's eyes widen in shock. Could it really be the same boy that she had grown up with. She had no idea what became of her two friends, after Kakashi had become a cabin boy and Obito had been taken off to become a blacksmith apprentice.

Was it possible he was still alive? If it was him, someone wanted him dead badly. It was almost unheard of to see such a large payout listed. She takes the paper and rips it to shreds.

"I don't know if it's really you, Kakashi. But if it is, I won't let someone take your head." She mutters to herself.

She grabs another glass of ale and heads out of the tavern. Granted the Liquor Isle had better drinks, but this would do. She didn't care much for the flavor. She just wanted something strong enough to banish away the memories, at least for a little while.

There was no point in dwelling on the past. Rin had learned that long ago. That was how she had managed to become such an excellent assassin. Almost as quickly she killed her victims, they were forgotten.

"It's not as though the world will miss them." She muses to herself as she takes a hearty sip of her ale.

Rin got to choose her missions. She made it a habit to only kill those that she felt were deserving of death. No man or woman on her kill list was ever completely innocent. That made accepting blood money, easier for her.

The assassin looks up at the sky. She saw a shooting star. She smiles. It was a foolish notion, she realized that. Still Rin could not help but make her wish anyway.

Did the woman expect it to come true? Of course not. Perhaps it was the ale that made her do it, but she continues on with the sentimental tradition anyway.

"I wish that I could find them and that they were still alive." She whispers at the dark starry night sky.

Little did Rin know that her wish would come true. Just not in the way she expected. But those were minor details. She really should have been more specific.


	5. Chapter 5

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. A lot of people did guess the historical reference correctly. ^^ I have such clever readers. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 5

A few days pass and Sasuke felt himself twitch. Kiba was doing it again. He was laughing just a little too loudly and standing just a little too close to Naruto for his liking. What really irritated Sasuke though was the fact that he cared.

Naruto wasn't his lover. Sasuke didn't have any claim over the blonde Captain. He knew that in his head. His gut didn't though.

Every instinct was telling him just to walk over there and introduce Kiba's face to his fist. Stupid dog.

"Sasuke, why are you glaring at Kiba so much?" Karin asks once she notices the First Mate's rather sour mood.

"I'm not glaring at Kiba." The youngest Uchiha lies.

He hopes that Karin would believe him. If she didn't, he hoped that she had the decency to pretend that she did. Sasuke could hardly tell her the truth. It was humiliating.

He was jealous of that stupid mutt. That pirate was hanging all over Naruto. To make matters worse, Sasuke wasn't even sure that Kiba was interested in men. He might just be an overly social individual. It was hard to tell.

"Alright. If you say so. But you might want to not glare at him so much. He's going to notice at this rate." She says with a wink and saunters off.

Sasuke sighs. Why him? Why did he have to be attracted to a rival pirate? A rival private that he had taken (and still took) great joy in taunting. It wasn't fair. Well there was one small (or rather large) consolation. He knew that Naruto was very interested in men. That hadn't been his sword that was pressing up against Sasuke's backside when Naruto shoved him against the wall. The blonde was definitely physically attracted to him in a very **_big_** way.

"I'll be back in a few moments." Naruto tells Kiba as he heads over to Sasuke.

Sasuke hadn't been very subtle. Naruto was honestly starting to fear for Kiba's safety. It was clear the Sharingan's First Mate was glaring daggers at his canine loving friend and he was going to find out why.

"Sasuke, what's wrong? You've been in a foul mood all night." Naruto observes.

"Nothing is wrong and I have not." The dark haired man lies effortlessly.

He was a pirate. Sasuke had a lot of practice with lying. He knew that he was good at it. So he expected the blonde to take his word for it and to drop the matter immediately. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

"Sasuke, I am the Captain of this ship. If you keep lying to me, I will not hesitate to throw your arse overboard. What's troubling you?" Naruto asks again.

"I'd like to see you try to throw me overboard, but alright. I'll tell you. Kiba smells like a wet dog. I don't care for it." He mutters.

That wasn't a lie. Kiba did smell like a wet dog. It was mildly irritating, but something he could easily overlook. He'd certainly smelled sailors with worse scents. Still it was a convenient excuse to explain why he was staring. He couldn't exactly tell Naruto the truth.

"Well that's because he has a dog. We aren't getting rid of the dog. He's a great guard dog and very loyal!" Naruto exclaims.

"Fine. Keep the mutt. I don't care. Just tell Kiba to wash up more. It's annoying." Sasuke says with a shrug.

Naruto just shakes his head. He didn't know if he bought it. Sasuke was a pirate. He wasn't some pampered noblewoman. He shouldn't be complaining about something as minor as a bad smell. He might not be lying to him, but he wasn't telling him the whole story either.

"Captain! Is everything okay?" Kiba asks as he heads over to them.

"Yes. Everything is fine. I was just having a chat with me First Mate. Nothing to worry about." The blonde says and shoots him a reassuring smile.

"Exactly. Stay out of it, mutt." Sasuke practically growls at Kiba.

Kiba glares at Sasuke. What was this man's problem? Why was he growling and glaring at him all night? It was really fucking annoying.

"You got a problem?" He demands.

"Yeah. I got a problem. You smell like wet dog and don't know when to mind your own business. Naruto was talking to me, not you. Back off. Go play with your dog." Sasuke hisses at him.

Naruto blinks. Oh boy. This was going to get ugly and fast. Experience told him that he had to separate Sasuke and Kiba as soon as possible. He didn't want a brawl to break out in front of both crews. That would only end in a disaster.

"Kiba, I'm going to talk to him. Don't worry about it. Sasuke, come with me. This is getting ridiculous." Naruto says as he practically drags his First Mate off.

He shoves Sasuke inside one of the cabins and locks the door behind him. He was going to get to the bottom of this. There was no way that he could allow whatever this was to continue between Sasuke and Kiba. He needed all of the crews to get along, especially if they were ever going to find Kurama's treasure!

"I can't let you pick fights with my crew members. So you better tell me what the real problem is." Naruto growls at him.

"I don't like him." Sasuke says with a shrug.

"Well that's too damn bad. He's been a loyal crew member for years. He's a damn fine pirate. He's good at his job. Kiba is going to be an asset on our treasure hunt! I'm sure you've had to work with people you didn't like before. So suck it up!" Naruto snaps at him.

Sasuke knew that he was being childish. He just hated to see the mutt hanging all over his blonde. The Uchiha was smart enough to realize that he was being irrational. He wasn't Naruto's lover. The blue eyed Captain didn't owe him anything, yet he couldn't help it.

"Fine. If you treat Jugo better, I'll try to be politer to Kiba." He mutters in disgust.

"I don't like Jugo!" The blonde growls at him.

"Well to quote you, " _Too damn bad. Suck it up!"_ Sasuke throws his earlier words back in his face.

"Oh that's it! I've tried to be patient with you. I know you are used to being treated more like a co-captain than a First Mate. I know you miss your brother, but I'm done tolerating your sassing me!" Naruto thunders at him.

Sasuke smirks. He liked the fire in the blonde's eyes when he was furious. It was truly glorious to witness. While he was busy admiring said glory, Naruto grabs him and throws Sasuke onto the bed.

"What the hell?!" Sasuke growls at Naruto.

"So I'm just going to have to punish you. Maybe you'll learn some respect after you've been disciplined!" The Captain of Konoha says.

Sasuke tries to get off the bed. Naruto pins him down over the edge of it though. He shivers. Maybe he had pushed the blonde just a little bit too far. He could feel the power in Naruto's frame when he held him down like this. It both excited and terrified him.

"I don't know what you have in mind, but I don't need any discipline. I'm not some child, that needs a scolding!" Sasuke growls.

"Well now that you mention it, that's a great idea. I should punish you exactly like a poorly behaved child." Naruto says with a smirk.

 **Warning Spanking Scene**

Before Sasuke could ask exactly what Naruto meant by that, he felt the blonde tugging off his trousers. His eyes widen. Naruto wouldn't dare!

"I could use a belt or a paddle, but I don't really want to mar that pretty skin of yours. Women everywhere should be jealous." Naruto muses.

He figured that comparing Sasuke to a woman would insult his pride. He had to drive the point home. Naruto was the Captain of this ship, not Sasuke. Sasuke had better respect him or there would be consequences.

"My skin is not pretty." Sasuke growls and tries to wiggle out of Naruto's hold.

"Oh yes, it is. Prettier than any maid's." Naruto muses and keeps the feisty First Mate firmly pinned down.

It was true. Naruto quite liked Sasuke's luminous looking skin. It looked like the moonlight made flesh. The fact that he had such a firm, shapely backside just further added to the appeal.

"You are such an idiot!" Sasuke snarls at him and thrashes underneath him.

SMACK! Naruto smacked Sasuke's bare ass hard with his hand. It was a pity that said beautiful skin belonged to such a disrespectful owner. It almost seemed like Sasuke got off on provoking him.

"You are a dead man! How fucking dare you treat me in such a fashion!?" Sasuke hisses at him.

Naruto knew it was wrong, but there was something really erotic about the situation. He could feel Sasuke's muscles underneath his hands. The First Mate had a lot of raw power in his body. It was a rush to know that he could pin him like this. It made him feel powerful.

The sight of that gorgeous arse thrashing about and turning a lovely light shade of pink was arousing as well. By God was that the erotic thing he'd ever seen in his life. Sasuke's sassy mouth wasn't helping either. It made him want to just plow into the other man and take him hard and fast against the mattress of the bed.

"I'm your Captain. If you prefer, I could throw your pretty arse overboard. Now take your punishment like a man. You know damn well that you have earned this and you deserve worse than I'm giving you." He growls.

Sasuke snarls at Naruto. Despite his protests, he knew that at the moment it was more bark than bite. It didn't actually hurt, at least not in a way that didn't feel good. It was exciting to have finally met someone who dared to challenge him.

He'd never been treated like this in his entire life before. He'd always been the dominant lover, whether his partner was a man or a woman. No one had ever dared to smack his bottom before, much less threaten him.

The worst part? He could feel his cock slowly getting hard from the treatment. His body apparently _LIKED_ it on some level. He knew that he had to end this before Naruto noticed his growing problem.

"Fuck you!" Sasuke hisses at him.

Naruto was really tempted to do just that. Instead he caresses the slightly irritated skin on Sasuke's very much fuck-able backside. He didn't actually want to hurt him. He just knew he had to be firm with the Hellcat.

"You wish. Now shut up and take your punishment like a man. This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been so prissy." Naruto says and smacks him again.

Sasuke yips. That one actually smarted a little. Any minor pain was soothed away when Naruto caressed it though.

The combination of harsh and gentle touches was turning him on more and more. This was going to get really awkward soon. He gulps. Shit. Sasuke knew he was going to have to swallow his pride and apologize.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! Three swift strikes came down on his arse. Sasuke squirms as he felt the slight sting and then gentle caress that accompanied each strike.

 **End Spanking Scene**

"Alright! Alright! I won't do it again. I'll play nicely with the mutt." Sasuke mutters after being spanked repeatedly.

"That's better." Naruto growls approvingly.

* * *

Meanwhile back on the Sharingan, Itachi sighs in relief when the Triangle of Death came into view. Idly, he knew that was strange. Most people would have been utterly terrified to realize they were entering the Triangle of Death, but he wasn't. He was just relieved.

"We out sailed them." Gaara states.

"Indeed we did. Tell the crew they can follow us onto the Isle of Lust. We'll go into the tavern and get some rooms for the night. Sasuke and Naruto shouldn't be that far behind us." Itachi says.

The red head nods. He quickly gives the crews the orders and they all head towards the tavern. The younger Captain laces his fingers with Itachi as he does so. The two of them walk hand in hand into the infamous establishment.

He didn't feel the need to hide his relationship with Itachi, especially not on the Isle of Lust. Two men being together was commonplace here. Actually it was likely one of the tamer 'taboos' that was likely to be broken in these walls.

"Have you ever been here before?" Itachi whispers to Gaara and the red head shakes his head.

He had never actually been to the Triangle of Death before. Of course he wasn't naïve. He had heard the rumors about the three isles. Gaara just never actually intended to visit them, yet here he was.

"This might be a little jarring for you then." The elder Uchiha says.

Gaara blinks once they were inside. The scent of sex and liquor hung heavily in the air. The SOUNDS of lovers locked in the heat of passion boomeranged all across the building. What was more shocking though was the sight of said lovers locked in the heat of passion. They certainly were not shy by any stretch of the imagination.

He didn't consider himself a prude by any means. Still it was rather shocking to see one man getting ravished against a table. The more submissive of the two was begging for more. So at least Gaara knew that it was entirely consensual.

"Well that does look like a rather _pleasurable_ way to spend an evening." Itachi notes with a sly smile.

Gaara had to refrain from gaping at Itachi. They were involved romantically now. At least he thought they were.

They had exchanged many kisses. Itachi didn't seem to have an issue with being affectionate towards him in front of the crew, but they weren't lovers yet. Now Itachi was talking about having sex on a table with everyone watching?!

"Well they do certainly seem to be enjoying themselves." Gaara mutters.

"Don't tell me that you are so innocent you have never thought about it." Itachi says with open amusement as he caresses his red head's cheek.

Truly, he was a wonder. He had heard more than once that Gaara could easily slit the throats of a dozen or more men without batting an eyelash. Yet the thought of exhibition, suddenly turned him into a bashful innocent.

"Thought about what?" Gaara asks.

"Being with your lover while others are watching." He clarifies.

"Maybe a little. It's nothing that I've given serious consideration to before though. What about yourself? You do not seem too shocked by such behavior." The red head notes.

Itachi chuckles. He knew that there was very little possibility that Gaara had never taken a lover before. He was a pirate. Though he did appear to be tame in what games he had played with them in the past.

That wasn't to say that he thought Gaara was boring. That wasn't it at all. There was so much passion to his kisses.. He just needed to explore his passion more. Itachi was more than willing to help him with that. It was an appealing thought to say the least.

"It does have its appeal to me. That's provided of course that you don't object." He replies.

"I'll have to give the matter some more consideration then." Gaara replies and Itachi smirks.

That was certainly a promising start. He had expected his almost lover to reject the idea entirely. To start off with a maybe, was far better than he had anticipated.

"Excellent." Itachi says and smiles at the other Captain.

Gaara blinks as he looks around. One pair of lovers was employing the use of a whip. He winced at that one. The red head didn't understand how THAT was pleasurable.

"No to the whips." He mutters.

"I wouldn't dream of marring your skin in such a fashion." Itachi assures him and kisses his cheek.

"Good because I wouldn't allow it." The younger man informs him and Itachi smirks.

He did adore the Captain's feisty spirit. Gaara might be slightly shy when it came intimacy, at least initially. But in all other matters, he was certainly every inch a fiery red head.

"I would be disappointed if you did. Come. Let's get a room for the night." Itachi says and walks over to the bartender.

"We would like a room for the day. We can pay whatever the price is." Gaara says and flashes some gold coin.

The bartender nods. He hands them a key with the number seven on it. He gestures for them to follow him up the stairs. There were several doors in the hall. Each of them had a number displayed upon them in a rather prominent fashion.

After a short walk, they arrive by a door that had a seven etched into the oak wood. The man shoves the key into the door and turns the knob. Gaara and Itachi quickly head inside, after thanking the man.

"Well it is a nice room." The red head muses and Itachi nods in agreement.

"I imagine that if my brother and Naruto haven't killed each other yet, they will be following us shortly. We may as well make ourselves comfortable. Would you like a drink?" He asks and gestures to a bottle of wine that had been left out.

"Aye." Gaara says simply and Itachi pours them each a glass.

"To us finding Kurama's Treasure and possibly seeing how strong those tables are." Itachi says with a smirk.

"To us finding Kurama's Treasure and I said that I would consider it!" Gaara protests as he clinks his glass with Itachi's.

* * *

Back in England, Kakashi blinks when the letter arrives. It was from Captain Haku. He frowns as he reads that name. He couldn't remember any Captains named Haku and he was sure that he knew every Captain in the English Fleet!

The baffled silver haired man reads the letter. He soon realized why he didn't know any Captain Hakus. The man had been a First Mate. His Captain had been slain by pirates. Now the young man wanted Kakashi's help in getting revenge.

"Hmm he wants revenge. That does sound rather personal. They were probably lovers." He muses to himself.

Well Haku was right. Queen Mei probably would reward him handsomely if he could take down the Sharingan. Still was it worth the effort?

He had everything he wanted. His trade had made him a very wealthy man. Kakashi might never be a noble, but he was as rich as one. His lover was beautiful and happened to be the Queen of England. Really what was there to gain by going after the Sharingan?

Well it would be a grand adventure. That much was for certain. It would be entertaining to test his skills against Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha. The two brothers had cultivated quite the impressive reputation for themselves. He did love a challenge.

"Mei would likely appreciate it." He murmurs to himself.

After all, the Sharingan had apparently killed an English Captain. That was a great offense to England. He very much doubted his feisty Queen would take such a thing laying down.

He sighs and heads off to find Mei. Kakashi knew the wisest course of action was to discuss this with her. The silver haired man didn't want his lover to worry, if he suddenly disappeared after all. He might be a pirate, but he did have some consideration for her.

"My Queen, may I speak with you alone for a moment?" Kakashi asks.

"Of course." Mei says and she dismisses her advisors from her throne room.

"What troubles you? You look as thought something is weighing quite heavily on that wonderfully wicked mind of yours." She observes.

Kakashi sighs. He shows her the letter. The pirate allows her a few moments to read it and then waits for her reaction.

"Well we certainly can not allow such an insult to go unanswered. I shall miss you while you are gone, but I have every confidence that you will return to me. You always do." Mei states.

He smiles. Kakashi kisses her. That was one of the things that he liked best about Mei. She never made a fess. It was rare to find such a practical and beautiful woman. (Even rarer still to find one that ruled over an entire country)!

Mei smiles and kisses back. She loved this man. It was a pity that he was born to a common family. There was nothing she could do about it though. Thankfully, most of her subjects still actually believed she was a virgin queen. (Sometimes she thought the sheep might be smarter than most of the populace)...

"Yes, I always do and I always will. I suppose I should get going. It will take time to prepare a crew and they already have a head start." He murmurs and caresses her cheek.

"Yes, you should get going. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back to me. Stay safe." She whispers.

Kakashi nods and heads out of the throne room with a sigh. He would have preferred to spend his days curled up beside his lover, but well a pirate's job was never really done. Oh well. At least this would prove to be a grand adventure.

He quickly heads to his room and starts penning letters. This would allow him to get some of the finest sailors in the English fleet to join up with him and quickly. There really were advantages to being able to use the Royal Seal of England on your letters.

"Well I suppose I should gather up my things and head to the docks. They'll be there shortly." He muses and does exactly that.

* * *

The next day, Kakashi stood at the docks. He smirks when he sees Captain Gai approaching him. The man was…eccentric, but a damn fine pirate. He would make a very useful addition to his crew.

"I'm glad you could make it." The silver haired pirate says.

"What are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world. It will be just like old times, eh Kakashi?" He asks cheerfully.

Kakashi couldn't help but nod. He leads his friend to the ship that they would set sail on. Another advantage of being the Queen's lover was that you were generally gifted with the finest ship that you could ask for. (Well, if you were a pirate like him, anyway).

"Yes, exactly. We are going after a ship known as the Sharingan. It's Captain is Itachi Uchiha and his brother Sasuke, is his First Mate." He explains.

"The Uchiha brothers? Well this isn't going to be easy. Oh well with the power of youth on our side, nothing can stand in our way!" Gai says and Kakashi just nods his head in agreement. (He was so used to his friend's antics, that he was no longer phrased by them now).


	6. Chapter 6

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the review. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 6

"So where are we going to look for the brothers first?" Gai asks Kakashi as they set sail.

"The port nearest to where the incident happened would seem to be a good start." Kakashi muses and nods in agreement.

The silver haired pirate leans over the side of the ship. The ship was just beginning to take off and he knew that dolphins were known to live by this port. He quite liked dolphins. They were amusing creatures.

"Do you think they'll hang for this?" Gai asks as he pours them each a flask of hearty ale.

"If we capture them alive, I'd be surprised if they didn't. They killed a Captain in the English Fleet. Mei isn't going to let such an offense go unanswered." His friend replies.

Gai raises an eyebrow. Mei? He was on a first name basis with the Queen of England? Only Kakashi. Well he had always been able to charm women rather easily. He supposed despite having a crown, Mei was still a woman.

"So the rumors are true then?" He asks casually.

Kakashi shoves Gaiagainst the wall and wraps his hand around his friend's throat. Guy was his best friend since they were small children. Still there were just some things that he couldn't allow.

"If you ever mention that again where anyone else might over hear you, I will have to slit your throat and throw you overboard. The Queen's reputation is everything. I won't want to do it, but I will. Do you understand me?" He demands.

Gai flails against the wall. He starts to turn blue. His eyes widen and he tries his best to speak, but Kakashi's grip around his throat was too tight. So he just nods his head.

"Good." Kakashi says, releases him, and smiles in a far too cheerful fashion.

Gai shivers. Sometimes Kakashi could be really creepy. This was especially so when he smiled that way. As much as he was loathed to admit it, he knew the truth about his friend. He was quite possibly the most cutthroat pirate to have ever lived. He just usually hid it behind a cheerful mask.

"Yes, so first port then. I'm gonna go check on the crew." He says and Kakashi nods.

Gai darts off. It was hard to reconcile some days. He had known the other man since they were boys. How such a happy child had grown up to become one of the fiercest pirates that ever sailed the Seven Seas and the Queen's lover was beyond him. He figured it was probably best not to ask too many questions though.

"Do we have enough supplies?" He asks the cook.

"We have enough food to keep comfortable us for a year. Two, if we rationed." The cook replies.

"Ah well that's good then. How about ale and wine?" The bushy browed pirate asks.

"Ten years at least." The cook says with a smirk and Gai grins.

That was music to his ears. There was only one thing that pirates loved almost as much as treasure. That was liquor! This was going to be a grand adventure. He just knew it

"It's a little nippy here. Well I better get going. Got to make sure the crew is ready for this adventure! THE POWER OF YOUTH IS ON OUR SIDE!" He says and races off.

The cook blinks. He knew that Gai was a skilled pirate. No one could ever doubt that, but the man was also highly eccentric.

Kenji, the cook, just didn't understand what he meant by 'The Power of Youth.' Gai wasn't old, but he certainly wasn't young anymore. Oh well. It was none of his business.

"Guess I better get to work on these potatoes." He mutters as he begins slicing them up.

* * *

Meanwhile back on Konoha, Sasuke was checking over their supplies with Jugo. The raven haired pirate was honestly at a loss for what he was supposed to do about Naruto. Maybe he should just pretend it never happened and hope that the blonde had the courtesy to do the same?

"He actually spanked you?" Jugo asks incredulously.

"Yes. Asshole." Sasuke grumbles and tries not to look flustered at the memory.

Jugo just shakes his head at both Sasuke and Naruto's actions. He'd never seen Sasuke go out of his way to provoke someone like this before. Naruto had every right to punish Sasuke. He was disrespecting the Captain of the ship. He didn't have to punish him in such a… _suggestive_ way though. It was rather obvious what was going on.

"It seems to me you are more interested in him than you are in Kurama's treasure." Jugo muses.

He instantly regretted it. Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously red. Jugo had known Sasuke long enough to realize that was a very bad sign.

"I am NOT more interested in him than the treasure. He's just amusing to rile up!" Sasuke protests.

"This has gone beyond the point of an idle amusement. The fact that he chose to spank you instead of beating you or humiliating you in front of the crews, just shows that the attraction is mutual. Don't try to tell me that you don't want him. If you didn't, you never would have let him live after you smacking your arse like that." Jugo says quickly.

Sasuke scowls. He hated to admit it, but Jugo did have a point. The large man had several good points actually. The younger Uchiha normally didn't waste much time on anyone that wasn't Itachi or his crew. Sasuke was intrigued by him and there wasn't really much point in denying that. The blonde also didn't have to punish him in such erotic way either. Furthermore, he had pinned Sasuke against the wall. Plus he had definitely been excited when he did so. It was at the very least a mutual lust.

"Alright. I'm attracted to him, but that's all it is. It's just lust." Sasuke insists.

"You should get it out of your system. If it's just lust, then a quick roll in the bed with him should be all that you need to do. If it turns out to be more, then you landed yourself a powerful lover." Jugo points out.

Sasuke considers it. Jugo might be right. Still even if the blonde wanted him physically, that didn't mean he'd actually do something about it. It could also make things uncomfortable, if Naruto rejected him or if it didn't work out.

"I'll think about it." Sasuke mutters.

* * *

Elsewhere on Konoha, Naruto was in his Cabin. He was drinking a lot of sake and trying to will the images away. It wasn't working.

The blonde had always known that he was attracted to men. Women just didn't excite him sexually. He liked women, just not as his lovers. They were too soft and delicate for him. Well there were exceptions like Sakura of course, but he wasn't attracted to her despite her strength.

"I really should have found another way to discipline him. I don't know who I punished more. Me or him." He grumbles.

It didn't matter how many times he dealt with his "problem," it kept coming back. He really should not have bent Sasuke over a bed and smacked him like that. He had only managed to torture himself.

"Damn it. I really need to talk to him about this." Naruto practically snarls and heads off to find the feisty First Mate.

He finds him with Jugo. Damn was that big lug ever not by Sasuke's side? He really took that whole shield thing seriously, but he had to go. He wanted some damn privacy to talk with the other pirate!

"Sasuke, do you have a moment? I want to discuss the best route to the Isle of Lust." Naruto asks.

"Yeah. Alright. We were just checking on our supplies. I'll be back in a bit, Jugo." Sasuke says as he walks off with the blonde.

"Is there ever going to be a point where Jugo isn't acting like your shadow? It's getting really annoying." Naruto says as he shuts the door behind them.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He was pretty sure he heard some jealousy in Naruto's voice there. Good. Let him see how it feels.

"You sound like a jealous lover. Is there a reason a member of my crew shouldn't help me take stock of our supplies?" Sasuke asks.

"No. Not when you put it like that. But maybe I am jealous. You were jealous of Kiba. Kiba doesn't even like men!" Naruto exclaims.

Damn it. He figured out that he was jealous of Kiba. Well he could always deny it . Wait, Naruto had just admitted that he was also jealous. Maybe he didn't have to deny it?

"He doesn't? Good." Sasuke mutters.

Naruto glances at Sasuke. He knew he had to say something, but he just couldn't figure out what to say. How was he supposed to do this?

"I'm probably going to regret this, but I've never really been that good at sweet talking. If I was, I wouldn't be a pirate. I'd be a poet." Naruto begins.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asks as he looks at Naruto warily.

"This." Naruto says as he pushes Sasuke down on the bed and captures his mouth with his own.

Before Sasuke could process what was happening, he was on his back. The blonde was practically devouring his mouth. Oh yes, whatever this was there was definitely a lot of lust involved. Suddenly his body felt like it was on fire in a way that was akin to ecstasy. Idly, he knew that didn't make sense. But at the moment he didn't care.

He felt himself arch against the Captain and moan into the kiss. Sasuke tugs on those golden locks and returns the kiss with equal passion. Their tongues battled for supremacy. Neither of them was willing to concede an inch to the other.

"Fuck sweet nothings. I'd much rather have that." Sasuke murmurs once he breaks the kiss.

"Me too. So you're mine now." Naruto observes.

"You wish. I like the way you kiss. That doesn't make me yours. Besides, I don't know why you are assuming you are the one who wields the sword in this relationship. That's assuming we even have a relationship. We might kill each other anyway." Sasuke says as he rolls until he was on top of his blonde and pins Naruto's hands over his head.

"Yeah. We just might kill each other anyway. But if that kiss was any indication, it'd be a Hell of a way to go. Of course I'm the one who wields the sword. I'm the Captain!" Naruto exclaims.

"I could be a Captain if I wanted to be. I just didn't see a reason. Itachi knows what he's doing and we have a fine ship. Why abandon it?" Sasuke grumbles.

"No need to get defensive. I'll take really good care of my First Mate." Naruto says with a seductive purr and Sasuke mentally gulps, wondering what the hell he'd just gotten himself into.

* * *

The next day, Obito sighs as he begins riding back to his home. He only ventured out to check on his shipyard. He had become quite good at blacksmithing and ended up working at a shipyard in his youth. The owner of the shipyard eventually died of old age and gave it to him. Ever since then, he had become a recluse.

Of course certain pirates couldn't just let him be! He sees a familiar head of silver hair get off the ship that just docked. Damn Kakashi. He couldn't let sleeping dogs be.

"Obito, don't even try to run off." The pirate calls out, mounts a horse, and gallops over to his old friend's side.

"What part of I want to live out the rest of my days in solitude was difficult for you to understand? You are supposed to be a genius, Kakashi. You should be able to understand that much with ease." Obito taunts him.

"Oh I understood it perfectly. I just don't agree with it. I miss Rin as well, but she wouldn't want you to lock yourself away for the rest of your life. However, that is not why I'm here. I'm here on official business." The masked pirate says merrily.

Obito raises an eyebrow. God only knows what Kakashi meant by that. He knew that the other man worked for the Queen of England. They were rather close. Obito wasn't certain if they were lovers or not, but his suspicion was that they were. How else would a man like Kakashi become so close to one of the most powerful rulers in Europe?

"And what does Her Majesty, desire?" Obito asks cautiously.

He didn't know what the Queen wanted, but he doubted it was anything that was proper. Mei was rather famous for her ability to test the boundaries of what was considered acceptable behavior for a Queen. She believed in expanding the influence of England and wasn't above taking big risks to do so.

"The Sharingan crew killed a Captain in the English Fleet. She wants me to avenge him. I thought that they might have docked here. This is the closest port to where the battle took place. Have you seen Itachi or Sasuke Uchiha?" Kakashi inquires pleasantly.

Kakashi truly did miss Obito. They had once been the closest of friends before the real world got in the way. He'd ended up on a ship. Obito had become an apprentice. Rin had gone missing one day and they never knew what became of her. Obito was never the same after that.

The silver haired pirate knew that his friend fancied himself in love with Rin. He didn't know if the dark haired man was actually in love with her or if it had just been a puppy love that he had never had the chance to outgrow. Either way, he mourned her "death" deeply.

"I've seen neither. I am also not in the habit of watching the comings and goings of pirates. You tend to live longer that way." Obito says with a shrug.

"Unfortunate. I am certain that you do know of them though. Where do you think that they could have gone?" He inquires.

Obito eyes Kakashi warily. He didn't know why the Queen was sending Kakashi out to do something like this. This work was really beneath him. Some random Captain got killed? He was surprised the Queen even knew about such an event, let alone cared enough to do about it. She must really be worried about looking strong for her to go to lengths like these over one Captain's death.

"Been hearing rumors that Captain Naruto Uzumaki has been asking around about Kurama's treasure and was seen talking to Itachi, not that long ago. I think that they were likely going after it. Mad as hatters, the whole lot of them. Everyone knows that it doesn't exist." The shipyard owner says with a shrug.

Kakashi nods. Of course everyone had heard that story. Almost every pirate went looking for it. It was almost a right of passage.

"And do you have any idea where they might begin their quest?" He asks.

"The Triangle of Death would be my guess. Of the three isles, I'd start with Lust first. Good luck, my friend. From what I have heard of them, you will need it." He tells him.

"I don't need luck. I have skill, but thank you. Please do consider what I said though. She wouldn't want you to waste away here." Kakashi says as he heads back towards his ship.

* * *

Back on the Isle of Lust, Itachi had decided to pass the time with Gaara productively. In this case, that meant by trying to seduce his new companion. The red head was looking less than thrilled by the idea of blindfolds.

"I don't understand what is supposed to be pleasurable about the idea. It is just asking for your lover to slit your throat." The other Captain muses.

"When you are deprived of one sense, your others grow stronger to compensate. In this case, without sight your sense of touch is heightened. It is very pleasurable." He assures the red head.

Gaara looks at Itachi like he thought the other man was mad. Make love while blindfolded? That was even more outrageous than having sex in public. It was just asking to have your throat slit or to be robbed blind.

"I'm not certain that I care for this particular game." He states.

"Perhaps it would make you feel better if I was the one who was blindfolded?" Itachi suggests.

Gaara blinks. It was hard for him to believe that had just happened. Itachi had just offered to completely submit himself to Gaara. He had no way of knowing what the Captain of Suna might do. This was a touching display of trust.

"Well I can't lie. That does sound intriguing. I'm honored that you would trust me that much." Gaara says.

"As you should be." Itachi says with a smirk.

The red head shakes his head in amusement. He places the blindfold on his most precious person and smiles. Well the red silk did flatter him. Then again, this was Itachi. Gaara was certain he could make even wearing a potato sack look alluring.

Well if Itachi was going to grant him such trust, he might as well take advantage of it. Gaara smiles and slides the other man's shirt off. The Captain of Suna was suddenly rather tempted just to burn all of Itachi's shirts or toss them overboard. It should be a crime for him to cover up.

"You're beautiful." He muses as he ghosts his fingertips over the muscular planes of Itachi's chest.

Itachi makes a small sound of amusement at being called beautiful. He knew that that Gaara meant it as a compliment, but he had never been called that before. He had been called handsome, desirable, attractive, sexy, and seductive before, but never beautiful.

"Thank you." He says and doesn't bother to keep the mirth out of his voice.

"You're laughing at me." Gaara says accusingly.

"I am not laughing at you. I just have never been called that before and it struck me as amusing." Itachi defends himself as he leans down and fumbles around until he found Gaara's lips, which he kissed.

Gaara returns the kiss. He still wasn't pleased that Itachi had been laughing at him, in his mind. But he couldn't resist the other man's kiss.

"Mmm you had best make it up to me. I don't take kindly to being laughed at." Gaara whispers.

"I wasn't laughing at you, but I have every intention of making it up to you." Itachi informs him.

Gaara wasn't entirely certain he believed that. Before he could respond, there was a knock on their door. A rather desperate one. He quickly undoes Itachi's blindfold and tosses the other pirate Captain his shirt, before answering it.

"Gaara, a fight has broken out. It's savage." Temari informs him.

Temari and Kankuro were some of the Suna Crew members that the red head had brought with him. He wasn't going to leave his siblings behind. Besides, Itachi told him that he could bring his crew. So he had.

"How bad is it?" Itachi asks.

"Bottles are being thrown. Mind your step. They have shattered in many places. Swords are now being unsheathed. I don't know what caused it. But it's bad." The female pirate continues.

Itachi sighs. It was unfortunate that a brawl had to break out just as he was making progress with Gaara. Oh well. They couldn't stand idly by while their crews were in danger. He follows the blonde to the skirmish.

The younger Captain darts off after his almost lover and his sister. If it was bad enough for Temari to be concerned, it was bad. He blinks at the scene he found when they got there.

"DIE!' A drunken man says as he lunges at one of the Suna crew members.

The crew member easily dodged to the side and the man ended up running into a wall. Still most of the fighting was far from as comical as that incident. The sights and sounds of swords clashing was intense. Men and women were breaking bottles and brandishing the broken glass menacingly.

"This is madness." Gaara mutters.

Itachi nods his head in agreement. He briefly wonders what set off the fight. The eldest Uchiha brother quickly decides he didn't care. It didn't matter who started the fight. He would simply finish it.

He charges into the fray and swings his sword swiftly. His sword chimed with each swing. Gaara blinks. He shrugs and quickly joins Itachi in the fight.

"Just knock them out if you can. I'd rather not have to kill a man because he had too much to drink." Itachi informs him.

"Very well." He agrees and brings the blunt end of his sword harshly down on the back of the man's neck.

He didn't decapitate or stab him. Gaara simply struck at a horizontal angle. It stunned the man so much that he collapsed onto the floor. Itachi nods at him approvingly.

"Gaara! Look out behind you!" Kankuro shouts at his brother.

The red head narrowly had time to whirl around and block the sword that had been swung at his back. There was a reason why he was said to have the Ultimate Defense. It was hard to truly strike the Captain of Suna.

Itachi didn't respond well to someone attempting to stab Gaara in the back. So much for not wanting someone to lose their life over a tavern fight. The dark haired pirate quickly flits behind the would be attack and runs his sword straight through his heart.

"What happened to not killing?" Gaara asks in amusement.

"He tried to kill you. The second he did that, he forfeited his life." Itachi says and slams his elbow into another man that thought he could gain an advantage by attacking the two men who were currently engaged in conversation.

"That was terribly rude of you. We were trying to have a conversation." Itachi admonishes the drunk who was now grunting in pain.

"That should teach them some manners! Yeah?!" Deidara asks as he smashes a bottle against some unlucky man's head.

"You have very strange friends." Gaara observes.

"I know. But they are still the best crew in the Seven Seas." Itachi says with a smirk.

"The second best crew in the Seven Seas." Gaara corrects him.

The brawl lasted another hour. By the end of it, the Sharingan and Suna crews had emerged victorious, with worst injury being a broken arm on their side. The drunks were mostly laying unconscious on the floor, except for the one that Itachi had slain for attacking Gaara.

"Yes, your crew is the second best." Itachi nods in agreement and Gaara twitches.

"We are not strange!" Deidara protests.

"No. No. Captain Sabaku has a point there. The lot of you are mad as hatters." Konan says in a bored tone as she looks at her nails.

Damn it. She had broken a nail. She really should have killed that stupid drunk instead of punching. Oh well. That was just one of the job hazards of being a female pirate, your nails didn't stay perfect for long. One had to be ready to throw a punch, at all times. It didn't matter what gender you were, when you were on the Sharingan Crew.


	7. Chapter 7

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. Some of them made me laugh. You guys are hilarious. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Seven

"WE'RE HERE!" Suigetsu calls out triumphantly as they begin docking at the Isle of Lust.

He looks around in confusion. Everyone was scrambling to get off the ship, except for Sasuke. He didn't see Sasuke. Hmm. The white haired man goes looking for the First Mate of the Sharingan Ship.

Suigetsu decides to start with the cabins. It wouldn't be like Sasuke. He normally rose at the crack of dawn, but perhaps he had simply slept in? He doesn't bother to knock and just barges in.

"Ohhh." The sword lover says when he is greeted by the sight of Naruto and Sasuke in bed together.

Thankfully, he didn't get an eyeful. The blankets were draped over them. Sasuke's head was resting on Naruto's chest. Suigetsu knew that Sasuke was likely at least shirtless because his bare shoulder was peeking out over the covers. Whether or not they were actually naked, he couldn't tell.

It was a strange sight. It was bizarre to see the fearsome pirate slumbering in the Captain's arms, content as a kitten. Naruto was currently sliding his hand up and down the curve of Sasuke's back and watching the other man sleep.

"Don't you know how to knock?!" The blonde growls at him.

"Sorry. Sorry. Anyway, we are here. Everyone's getting off the ship. I'll just tell the crew that you two are busy making sure that we got everything we needed to dock and you'll be a few minutes." Suigetsu stammers in a rush.

"Thanks. Now get out!" Naruto snaps at him and the violet eyed pirate darts out of the cabin.

Sasuke frowns at the loud noises. He grumbles and pulls the covers over his head. The youngest Uchiha had been quite comfortable until that point and was eager to drown out the annoying talking.

Naruto sighs. He hated to do it, but he knew that he had to wake Sasuke up. For once, he wasn't trying to provoke Naruto into a rage and the moment had to be ruined. He lightly nudges his First Mate awake.

"What is it?" Sasuke grumbles.

"We are at the Isle of Lust. The ship is docked and the crew is waiting for us." The blue eyed pirate explains.

The raven haired First Mate curses. He jumps off of the bed and quickly throws on his shirt. Naruto watches in amusement as his almost lover frantically tries to button his shirt.

"Sasuke, we are on the Isle of Lust. I doubt anyone would complain about your shirt being unbuttoned." The Captain points out.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

He considers this and nods. Fuck the buttons! He waits for Naruto to get around and heads off with him. Sasuke blinks when he felt Naruto wrap one arm around his waist as they headed over to the crew.

Naruto definitely wasn't shy. The blonde didn't have an issue with their crews thinking they were lovers now. There was no mistaking what the positioning of Naruot's hand meant. It was a claim.

"So let's get going. Gaara and Itachi are probably already there along with the rest of the crews!" Naruto says cheerfully.

Sasuke gives Suigetsu a dirty look. For some reason the sword lover was practically gaping at him like a fish. The youngest Uchiha didn't think that it was because of where Naruto's arm was either.

Suigetsu heads off with Jugo. The two of them lead the rest of the crew members inside the tavern. The First Mate just shakes his head at Suigetsu's antics. Whatever. He'd find out what was up with him later.

"You're really possessive." Sasuke mutters once he and Naruto were out of earshot of the crews.

"Maybe a little, but you were the one cuddled up to me as sweet as a newborn kitten." The blonde counters.

"I was not cuddled up to you in any fashion! I was sleeping and your chest just happened to be a comfortable place to rest my head. That's all." Sasuke hisses at him.

He didn't cuddle. He was a fucking pirate. He didn't cuddle and certainly was in no way similar to a kitten! Naruto was rather fortunate that he was blessed with good looks and a talented mouth, otherwise Sasuke would have run him through with his sword for such a comment.

"Well I liked when you rested in my arms. I think that shows that you don't mind me being possessive. We are pirates. We hoard our treasure!" He exclaims.

Sasuke blinks. He didn't know whether he should be offended or flattered that Naruto viewed him as treasure. He decides on doing both.

"I'm your treasure?" He asks incredulously.

"Damn right, you are. When we find Kurama's Treasure, I think I'll just bend that pretty arse of yours over the treasure chests. That way we can enjoy our two favorite things at once. Sex and treasure." The blonde says and seems immensely pleased by his own cleverness.

"When we find Kurama's treasure, you are going to be the one who is bent over. Not I!" Sasuke protests.

Naruto pushes Sasuke against the wall. He didn't know what it was about the other man challenging him that was both infuriating and erotic at the same time. It made him want to grab him and fuck the gorgeous man into submission. He knew that Sasuke was capable of being loving. He had been curled up into him so sweetly only a few moments ago. It was just that he was proud and God did he have such a sassy mouth on him!

"Is this going to be how you plan to settle all our arguments? By pushing me against a wall or bending me over a bed?" Sasuke taunts him.

"You say that like it's a bad thing. I think it's a great way to resolve our disagreements." The Captain says as he lightly nips at the other man's neck.

"Th-at's cheating and you know it!" Sasuke squirms against the blonde.

Naruto knew that it was fighting dirty. He didn't care though. The Captain had found out the night before what Sasuke's weakness was. His neck. The younger Uchiha could be snarling like a lion one minute and mewing like a kitten the next, if you touched him there in just the right way.

"I know, but that's why I'm a pirate and not a priest. I don't really care about what's fair. What I care about his hearing you moan like a harlot just for me." He admits.

"Well…I don't think that I particularly needed to hear that last part, but I'm glad you both made it." Itachi says and Naruto whirls around.

Sasuke tries not to blush. He really did. It was hard not to. He had been moaning like some kind of slut and his brother had seen him do it. Damn it. Itachi was never going to let him live this down.

"Itachi!" The blonde exclaims and feels his face heating up.

That could have gone better. Seducing someone was a lot easier when their brother wasn't watching. It wasn't fair. He had been making some real progress and the other Captain just had to show up and ruin it!

"And me. Don't tell me that you forgot about me already." Gaara says.

"Gaara! It's good to see you again!" Naruto says as he swings around his best friend happily.

Itachi and Sasuke twitch. Neither Uchiha brother was particularly happy to see their almost lover in the arms of another. This was especially true when they were standing right there!

Naruto senses more than a little killer intent rolling off of Itachi and Sasuke. He wisely puts Gaara down. The red head quickly strides over to Itachi. He wanted to prevent a potential bloodbath.

"Well I am glad that the two of you are getting along so… _well._ " Gaara states slyly.

"Yeah! So what the Hell happened here?" Naruto asks as he glances around the tavern.

It was a complete mess. Bodies, blood, and broken glass were laying everywhere. Tables had been thrown over and so had some chairs. It was almost impressive to see how much chaos had occurred.

"Someone started a bar fight. We finished it. It's really as simple as that." Itachi informs him.

"Oh. Got it. Well is there even anyone left to ask about Kurama's treasure?" The blonde inquires.

"Guess we'll find out." Sasuke says.

Elsewhere, Kakashi's ship was once again sailing. He knew where he had to go now. The Isle of Lust. The Uchiha brothers were rather brave, he mused.

Everyone knew about the Triangle of Death. The three Isles were legendary. Lust, Liquor, and Loss. They had been ruled by the Sannin. The Sannin were three of the most infamous pirates every to have lived. Only now, Orochimaru was dead. He did wonder what became of the Isle of the Lost after his death.

"Do you really think they'll find anything?" Guy asks Kakashi.

"I doubt it. Almost pirate worth their salt has gone after that treasure. No one's ever found it. It's nothing more than a ghost story for children to listen to." The silver haired pirate replies.

"Maybe, but it is one Hell of a story." His best friend replies and Kakashi nods in agreement as he remembers the tale well.

 _It was said that once was a pirate named Madara. To this day, he was still considered the most fearsome pirate to have ever sailed the Seven Seas. This was even centuries after his death._

 _While alive, he had discovered a beautiful uncharted island. The Captain claimed that on that island there was a beautiful man named Kurama. Madara fell madly in love with him and set about trying to win over the fiery red head._

 _Madara successfully wooed Kurama by stealing lots of treasure for him. According to the infamous pirate, Kurama loved anything that was shiny. Treasure was shiny._

 _Over the years, the pirate stole mountains of treasure. It was said Kurama's treasure was enough to make even the richest king look like a beggar._

 _Decades later, Madara announced he was going to retire. The elderly pirate had sailed off to this island once more and was never heard from again. That was hundreds of years ago, according to the legend. Obviously, Kurama and Madara must have died of old age by now._

 _Ever since then, pirates had tried in vain to find the island and the treasure. None had been successful. But that didn't stop people from trying!_

"That much is true. Well it doesn't matter if it's real or not. Our concern is finding the Sharingan. We can't let their attack on the English Fleet go unanswered. I do not believe that their primary goal was to attack the Captain. I think that they were just spotted and tried to make a getaway. Still that doesn't change the facts. We can't allow other pirates to be picking off members of the Royal Fleet!" The masked pirate states.

Guy nods in agreement. Though he did privately think Kakashi's statement was hypocritical. He was after all, just a sanctioned pirate. That didn't really matter though. What mattered is that his friend needed his help and that they were going to have a very youthful adventure.

"That's true. Well I'm sure that we'll find them. What was it like? Seeing Obito after all this time, must have been difficult for you." He offers.

Kakashi sighs. It had been difficult. His heart did ache for his old friend. The man had just never gotten over Rin's disappearance. Now he barley left his home. The only time he did was to check on his shipyard. It was heartbreaking really.

"It was. I'm glad that he has his shipyard. If he didn't, I think he would probably just go to his home and wait for death's embrace to welcome him. It gives him a reason to carry on. Heartbreak can be just as lethal as any sword. Sometimes even more so." Kakashi mutters.

"You sound like you speak from personal experience." Guy replies and watches his friend curiously.

"I wasn't in love with her, I was much too young for that. Obito is the one who fell into puppy love early. But she was still my friend. I assume she is dead. Otherwise, she would have found a way to get in touch with us." The silver hair pirate admits.

Guy places his hand on Kakashi's shoulder in a comforting gesture. It must have been difficult. To be a small child and not know what had become of your friend. The world could be quite cruel sometimes, he mused.

"Yes, it always hurts to lose friends. Unfortunately, that is the way of the world. That's especially true for pirates. We did choose a rather dangerous profession." Guy points out with a bright smile.

"That's true. Well in any case, it shouldn't take us terribly long to reach the Isle of Lust." His friend agrees.

The sooner he had the brothers's heads on a platter, the sooner he could return back to his Queen. Well at least he wouldn't be bored. He figured the brothers and their crew would at least put up a good fight before he killed them.

There really was nothing more irritating than an easy fight. Kakashi loved the thrill of battle. He loved being pushed to his limits. If he could gut you like a fish with one strike of his sword, it wasn't worth the effort.

"That's good. Can't keep the Queen of England waiting." Guy grins.

"Yes, that's most certainly a bad idea. She is not the most patient woman." Kakashi notes with a chuckle.

Meanwhile on the Isle of the Lost, Rin blinks. She could hear the commotion coming from Lust Isle. The assassin decides to investigate. Normally, Lust was more peaceful than Lost.

Rin blinks at what she saw when she arrived. There were fresh corpses littering the floor. Broken glasses were scattered around everywhere. Almost every table and chair had been thrown. It was a complete mess and there had to be dozens, if not hundreds of pirates milling about. Madness.

"What the Hell?" Rin asks and umpfs as suddenly she is slammed into a wall.

Temari eyes the other woman warily after pinning her against the wall. She definitely wasn't part of Suna, Konoha, or the Sharingan. She didn't even look like a pirate. Somehow though, Temari doubted the woman was a barmaid.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" The blonde woman demands.

"Rin. If you don't get your hands off of me, I'm going to be the woman who kills you." She seethes.

The assassin didn't take kindly to being treated in such an aggressive fashion. She was an assassin. Rin was not someone who would allow herself to be thrown around like some rag doll!

"Well you got spirit. Got to give you that much. What are you really doing here, Rin?" The pirate demands.

"I came to see what all the commotion was about! Looks like one Hell of a fight broke out." She murmurs.

Temari couldn't disagree with that assessment. The woman came from the Isle of the Lost. That could mean only one thing. She was an assassin.

"You could say that. GAARA!" Temari calls out and a man races over.

Rin watches him warily. He had hair red as blood and aqua eyes framed by black tribal like markings. His outfit was entirely white. The sword on his hip quite clearly stated what his occupation was. He was a pirate.

"Good job, Temari. I was afraid there wouldn't be anyone left to ask about Kurama's treasure." He says.

"That be a fool's errand, if I ever heard one. Kurama's treasure doesn't exist. If it did, surely someone would have found it by now." Rin says.

"Well I do hope to prove you wrong about that." Gaara says as he glances at the woman.

Itachi realizes that Gaara had run off and quickly was by his side. Rin blinks. The way the dark haired pirate moved so swiftly was impressive. The two of them must be lovers, she decides. That would explain why he was assessing the red head's physical condition so carefully.

"Who is she?" Itachi asks.

"An assassin. Doesn't seem to know anything about the treasure though." Gaara replies.

Itachi glances at Rin in a calculating manner. Hearing that she was an assassin wasn't exactly comforting news. He did not like Gaara standing that closely to someone who killed people for a living.

"In that case, we should try to find someone who does know about it." Itachi says as he begins to guide Gaara a few feet back.

He frowns as he tries to figure out the best course of action. Killing her would be the lowest risk. Still she hadn't attacked them. Maybe he could knock her out. But then she might come after them. If he took her aboard the ship, that was also a gamble.

"None of you are on my hit list." Rin informs him.

She could see where his mind was going. Sasuke glances over and notices that Temari had a woman pinned against a wall. Itachi and Gaara were talking to her. Naturally, this aroused his curiosity. He walks over to them.

"Itachi, what's going on?" He asks.

"This woman is an assassin. She wanted to know what the commotion was. We are deciding what to do with her." Itachi states simply.

"Just take her with us. If she's an assassin, she's likely good with a blade." Naruto calls out.

Rin couldn't believe this. She was being essentially kidnapped by pirates. This day could not get anymore bizarre.

She could go along willingly or she could try to escape. Escape seemed like suicidal though. There were simply too many of them. She was a skilled fighter, but she was not a goddess.

"I suppose it would be nice to go on an adventure. I don't think you'll find the treasure, but it's better than what I was doing." She replies casually.

"Don't make me regret letting you go. I'll feed you to the sharks, if you do!" Temari says as she releases her.

Rin raises an eyebrow. The woman had balls. How dare that blonde threaten her? Well she was backed up by dozens of pirates. So that might explain why she was feeling so feisty.

"Very well." She says simply.

"Did someone say shark food? You got me dinner? Well that was nice of you." Someone calls out.

Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro look around. It was Kisame! The Sabaku Siblings blink in surprise. What was he doing here?

"Awe look, it's my three favorite shrimp. This brings back memories. I didn't know any of you had it in you to visit the Isle of Lust though! But I do highly recommend it. There is this one room in particular, that I'm very fond of. I'm sure that you will like it." The large blue skinned man says.

Gaara blinks. Kisame made it sound like he was a regular at the Isle of Lust. Wait a minute, he didn't want to know. He definitely did not want to imagine his mentor slaking his lust here.

"Don't give me that look. Everyone needs a good lay now and then. Itachi! Good to see you! Oh and the brat!" The shark toothed man continues on.

"I am NOT a brat!" Sasuke hisses at him.

"Well you've gotten a lot bigger now. But you'll always be a brat to me." Kisame says cheekily.

Naruto just starts laughing. Sasuke smacks him upside the head for that. Stupid blondes. Honestly, it wasn't that funny. He was the First Mate of one of the finest crews ever to sail the Seven Seas. Sasuke Uchiha was not a brat. Kisame was just…Kisame.

"It's good to see you as well. I wouldn't call Gaara or his siblings shrimp though." Itachi replies with no small amount of mirth in his voice.

"I don't know. They still look small to me." The other Captain replies.

"That's because you are a truly massive man. Almost everyone looks small when compared to you." Itachi says with a shrug, causing Kisame to laugh.

Rin was beginning to wonder just how many fucking pirates were now inside this tavern. Damn it. She really didn't have a choice. The assassin had to go with them willingly or she would likely get killed.

Temari and Kankuro couldn't help but gape at Kisame. It was difficult to imagine their former mentor engaged in intimacy. The very thought of such a thing was making them more than a little green around the gills, in all honesty.

"Oh believe me, I know." Gaara says to his siblings in sympathy.

Naruto whispers something to Gaara. The red head makes a shrugging motion. The blonde nods.

"What did you just ask him?" Sasuke inquires.

"I asked him if Kisame's dick was even human or if he like had one that matches a shark's." The blonde says.

"Why would you ask that?! Wait what the Hell do you know about at shark's…organs?" Sasuke demands.

"I was just curious. I mean he is on the Isle of Lust. He looks like he's half shark or something. I kinda wonder if his mother or father was a shark." The blue eyed pirate replies.

Sasuke sighs. Naruto had absolutely no tack. Now everyone was going to be wondering about how human Kisame looked below the belt all day. Wonderful. Just wonderful.

"I don't know. I never asked and I don't want to know!" Gaara exclaims.

"Well if you were all that curious, you could have asked. I'd be happy to show you." Kisame says.

Itachi smacks his forehead. Honestly, they were all such overgrown children at times. He couldn't believe that a Captain would ask such a juvenile question. Even worse, Kisame was humoring Naruto.

Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched by Jirayia. He was at the top of the stairs and peers down. He couldn't believe it. His entire tavern had been overrun.

Of course he always allowed pirates onto her Isle. They were some of his best customers. But he had never had so many here at once. Thankfully, it appeared they wouldn't be staying long. They were going after Kurama's treasure.

"Well if anyone can find it, I suppose it would be this group." He mutters to himself.

He smiles as she remembers once long ago when the Sannin had tried to find it. Sadly, their luck hadn't been much better than the other pirates who had tried before them. Still it had been a wonderful adventure.

JIrayia missed the old days. It just hadn't been the same after Orochimaru had gone half mad. He was grateful Tsunade was still around though. (And not just because of her lovely breasts, though those WERE very nice.)

He watches anxiously and about an hour later, it became clear that the pirates were going to stay the night. He quickly sneaks out of the tavern before he could be seen. He might envy them for going on a grand adventure, but he knew better than to reveal himself to this many pirates.


	8. Chapter 8

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. It seems treasure/booty is universally popular as is cuddly, sleepy Sasuke. Lots of curiosity about Rin as well. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Eight

"Foolish little brother, we need to talk." Itachi says and hour later as he drags Sasuke into one of the rooms at the tavern.

"Yes, we do. I won't have you lugging me around like a sack of potatoes!" Sasuke growls at him.

Itachi just shrugs. He sets his brother down. The elder Uchiha eyes him curiously. He wondered how serious he was about Naruto. The blonde made it sound as thought they were already lovers.

Normally, he wouldn't get involved with his brother's love life. His brother was a grown man and could make his own decisions. However, this was a special case. Naruto was a Captain of his own ship and that certainly complicated matters.

"Yes, well I do apologize for that. It seems you prefer it when Naruto manhandles you." Itachi observes.

"He doesn't manhandle me." Sasuke snaps at his older brother in annoyance.

"There's no shame in it. If you prefer to have him be the more…aggressive lover, that doesn't mean anything to me. It doesn't make you any lesser of a man. Personally, I believe that variety in sexual positions makes ones love life far more interesting. It gets incredibly dull if you are forever mounting each other in the same position." Itachi explains to his completely mortified sibling.

Sasuke blinks. That was more than he ever wanted to know about the elder Uchiha's sex life. The mental images were going to torment him for life!

"Itachi, I'm going to pretend that I did not hear you make such comments about your sexual preferences. In the future, I beg of you not to discuss anything like that again with me. I love you, but I don't need to know whether you prefer someone to sheathe their sword inside of you or to do the sheathing yourself!" Sasuke grumbles in disgust as he tries to dispel the rather disturbing images that his mind was now conjuring up.

The Captain of the Sharingan chuckles. There were few things more delightful than embarrassing his younger brother. Still this was serious business and he had to remind himself of that.

"Noted. I do naught know what happened between you and Captain Uzumaki while you were sailing together, but he seems rather enamored with you. Be careful, Sasuke. He is a Captain." Itachi warns him.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me? You're a Captain. So what?" Sasuke demands.

"Captains are used to getting their way. They do not take being questioned well or being denied what they want lightly. I'm your brother, so I go easier on you than most other Captains would. Your…cheek could get you into trouble." His brother elaborates.

Sasuke blinks. He couldn't' believe it. Itachi was basically warning him that Naruto might be too possessive and aggressive for him. That was frankly insulting.

"I don't care what his rank is. Our relationship is new. I don't know if anything will really become of it. That doesn't matter though. I am perfectly capable of handling myself and if he wants me, he can learn to deal with my _cheek!"_ The younger Uchiha practically seethes.

"I know you are normally, but Naruto isn't some random sailor or pirate that you met at a tavern. He's a formidable Captain in his own right and can be dangerous, when he wants to be." Itachi continues.

Sasuke twitches. He knew that Itachi was just worried about him. Still he couldn't deny it irked him. It irked him to know that his brother still viewed him as some kid that needed protection!

"You are a hypocrite! Gaara is also a Captain. You two have made it rather obvious that you are lovers or heading in that direction. What do you have to say about that?! Why is my being with Naruto, ANY different?!" Sasuke demands.

"Gaara is a Captain. That's true. But it's different for me than it is for you. Naruto is clearly the more aggressive between the two of you." Itachi says.

Itachi sighs. He had handled this situation poorly. Instead of Sasuke considering his warning, his brother's pride was wounded. He was bristling like a cornered ally cat. Damn it.

"Just please be careful. I have no wish to fight with you. I only say this because I worry for you. You are the only brother I have. It's my job to look out for you. I don't exactly have another brother I care replace you with, if you fall overboard or something." Itachi teases him.

Sasuke takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. He knew that Itachi was worried about him. It wasn't necessary, but it was touching that Itachi cared so much.

"I know. Don't worry about me. I can handle myself." Sasuke assures him.

Meanwhile the ladies of the Sharingan, Suna, and Konoha were working on cleaning up the tavern and pouring themselves all hearty rounds of drinks. The men had mostly gone up to their room and they were going to take advantage of this situation.

"It's not fair. All the handsome men prefer…men." Karin says with a dramatic sigh.

"I've seen Sasuke take women into his cabin on occasion. He likes both. I don't know about Itachi though." Konan muses as she pours herself some ale.

Tenten sweeps up some of the glass. Most of their crew had strong boots, but it was better safe than sorry. The brunette listens to the conversation of the other women and nods.

"Aye, but you might as well forget about it. I saw the way that Naruto had his arm around Sasuke. You aren't going to get anywhere Sakura, unless they decide to add a third lover to their trysts." Tenten says.

Sakura feels her face heat up slightly. Was she that obvious? Well maybe she had stared just a little too long sometimes. But hopefully, the First Mate hadn't noticed.

"I was just looking. That's not a crime!" She protests.

"I suppose Itachi is off limits as well." Ino mutters, mourning this fact.

The handsome Captain seemed to only have eyes for the red head now. That was unfortunate. Itachi had really dreamy eyes, in Ino's mind.

"Oh the lot of you are pathetic. Pining away over men that you'll never have. Are you pirates or pampered maidens?" Konan mutters in disgust and Rin nods approvingly at this assessment.

Temari shakes her head in amusement. One of the captains was her brother. So she had no interest in Gaara. Itachi and Sasuke were too aggressive for her liking. She preferred her lover, Shikamaru. He was a man who would never bicker with her. He saved his energy for the important things, mostly sex!

"You'll have to forgive them. They are still young. Eventually, they'll outgrow the pinning phase." Temari notes with a giggle.

"You are only th-ree years older than us." Hinata points out and the feisty blonde woman shrugs.

"Three years can be a lifetime in some cases. Don't fret on it, Hinata. I know that you were fond of Captain Uzumaki. Karin did say that Sasuke takes women to his bed sometimes. Perhaps they'll invite you to their bed." The pirate woman says.

Hinata's face blushes redder than the finest wine. She quickly turns her head to try to hide her embarrassment. Tenten pats her on the back comfortingly.

"I would be more worried about finding Kurama's treasure than worrying about who is warming whose bed." Rin mutters.

"Aye! Finally, someone who is practical." Konan says merrily.

"Did Konan just smile?" Karin whispers to Ino and the blonde nods dumbly.

That was a first. Konan was by far the most somber of all the female pirates. She didn't talk much and when she did it was normally to give an order. To see her smile was almost _shocking._

"I heard that. I am not deaf!" Konan growls at Karin.

The red headed woman wisely takes a few steps back. Konan was not a woman that she had any desire to tangle with. Karin had joined the Akatsuki thanks mostly to her excellent skills with medicine. She wasn't a natural fighter and Konan was.

"So what's your real story?" Temari asks Rin.

"I'm an assassin. Have been for years. When I was a child, I was kidnapped. In those days, there was a big slave market for children. I managed to prove my worth and not become a slave. Eventually, I ended up an assassin. The money is good and killing is really my only skill set. My hands are soaked in far too much blood to do anything else." She says with a shrug.

Temari nods. She knew what that was like. She and her brothers had ended up on Kisame's ship when they were quite young. By the time they were adults and no longer frightened of Kisame, she couldn't imagine living any other life.

What could she do really? She had money of course. But if she tried to find a suitable husband and become a respectable woman, they would want to know where she got all that money. Who was going to marry a pirate? So she had stayed.

Eventually, she had met Shikamaru. He was a member on Naruto's crew. They had fallen in love and the rest was history. She couldn't imagine not being a pirate anymore or not having Shikamaru in her life now.

"Child slaves? That's horrible." Hinata exclaims and Rin nods in agreement.

Quite honestly, Rin was relieved not to be pinned to the wall. It looked like she might very well live to see another sunrise. Not that long ago, she had half expected to be dead long before that. These women were strange and like her in a way. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Elsewhere in the tavern, Gaara was helping Naruto find a room. He had seen Itachi drag off Sasuke. The red head assumed the brothers would be awhile.

"So tell me what is going on between you and Sasuke?" He asks rather bluntly.

Gaara had never been a man that liked to beat around the bush. He didn't see that changing anytime soon. Besides, Naruto admired a more direct form of communication anyway.

"He drives me crazy. Half the time I want to strangle him and half the time I want ravish him so thoroughly, that he won't be able to leave the bed. The man can really kiss, Gaara. One minute he's a snarling lion and the next he's as content as the kitten. Keeps me on my toes, I guess. He's mine now though." Naruto says.

"Uh huh. Well that's very…passionate. I'm not entirely certain it's a healthy relationship dynamic, but I am happy that you are happy. As for me and Itachi, our relationship is decided less traumatic. I think that man could talk me into almost anything really." He admits.

Naruto beams. He slaps Gaara on the back for that one. He was really happy for his friend. He knew how long the red head had been in love with the older pirate.

"That's great news! Well we've given them awhile to discuss whatever they want to discuss, shall we go claim our diamond and pearl?" Naruto asks happily.

"Which one is which and why?" Gaara inquires in amusement at the blonde's nicknames for their almost lovers.

"Well Sasuke is obviously the pearl. He's got himself locked in an oyster, you see. You have to know how to open it to get to him! That and his skin is just as luminous as any pearl I've ever seen!" Naruto exclaims.

Gaara raises an eyebrow. The blonde had put a disturbing amount of thought into this. He was almost afraid to ask, but gestures for him to continue.

"And why is Itachi a diamond?" He questions his friend.

"Well you know he's values luxury and he's very sophisticated! Plus his sword is just as shiny as any diamond. Diamonds can cut through anything. Just like Itachi can with his sword." The blonde says and nods his head proudly.

"I suppose that makes sense. You have really given this matter a great deal of thought. Well then, let's go get our diamond and pearl." He states and follows Naruto down the hallway to find the brothers.

A few minutes later, they knock on the door. Itachi answers it. He seems surprised, but moves aside for the other Captains to enter.

"This is a pretty nice room." Naruto comments brightly.

"Yes, the Isle of Lust is quite profitable. I suppose Jirayia didn't spare any expense when it came to the comfort of his guests." The elder Uchiha replies.

Gaara nods. He smiles and walks over to Itachi. The red head apparently was not bashful about his relationship with the other Captain. He wraps his arms around Itachi's neck and stands on his tip toes to place a quick kiss upon his lips.

Naruto strides over to Sasuke. He wraps his arms around the other man's waist. The blonde decides the direct approach would likely be best. He doubted Sasuke really cared about flowery nonsense anyway.

"I was wondering if I would be carrying me favorite treasure back to my quarters tonight?" He asks.

"You are really bound and determined to refer to me as your treasure, aren't you?" Sasuke asks and Naruto nods enthusiastically.

"I suppose that I might be persuaded to stay the night with you. It looks like Gaara and Itachi will be wanting their privacy." Sasuke says with a shrug as he allows the blonde to lead him off.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement. Well it looked like Sasuke was going to pursue Naruto anyway. Well perhaps he should say Naruto was going to pursue Sasuke. Either way, he couldn't exactly forbid his younger brother from doing so. Besides, he had a gorgeous red head in room and they were on the Isle of Lust.

"Now about that blindfold." He says with a sly smile and Gaara just shakes his head as he kisses Itachi again as the other couple head towards their room.

Naruto smiles and shuts the door behind him and Sasuke. In a flash, he instantly shoved Sasuke onto the bed. The darker haired pirate was now laying on his stomach.

"You know, I am going to kick your arse if you keep pushing and shoving me everywhere." Sasuke warns him.

"I'd love to see you try. You are more bark than bite when it comes to us. We are finally alone and we are on the Isle of Lust. I want to take advantage of it. Hopefully, Suigetsu doesn't walk in on us again. This time I locked the door." Naruto says.

"Wait what about Suigetsu?" Sasuke demands.

"Nevermind, treasure. It doesn't matter." The blonde says as he slides off Sasuke's shirt.

The blonde couldn't help but lick his lips at the sight. His ivory pale skin and sleek muscles were on full display. That's when he noticed the long silver scar that ran down along the length of his spine.

"Sasuke, your back. What happened? That should have killed you." Naruto says in a startled voice.

"Orochimaru's hook happened. He was feeling rather displeased with me one day and wanted to make an example of me. He knew exactly how far in her could press that hook before it would break me. Itachi and I made him pay later though. I'm glad the bastard is dead. Do you not want me anymore because I have a scar?" He asks.

"What? No! That's not it at all. I'm just worried about you. It's a rare pirate that doesn't have a scar. It's just most aren't as…long as yours." He says.

"If you're that worried about it, you can kiss it better." Sasuke replies.

"Gladly." Naruto replies and lightly ghosts his lips along the silvery scar.

Unbeknownst to the couples, Kakashi's ship had finally arrived at Triangle of Death. The silver haired man quickly steers his ship to the Isle of Lust. With any luck, they'd be on the Isle of Lust by dawn.

"Do you really think that they are here?" Guy asks.

"I don't know. But Obito has always been rather good at finding people. It's a bit disturbing really. If he thinks they might be here, there's a good chance that the brothers are. Besides, even if they aren't…there is no reason the crew can't have some fun before we leave." His friend replies.

Guy smiles. That was a very good point. He knew that most of the crew was rather curious about the place. Most of them were from very prim and proper backgrounds and had only heard about it through rumors. Nobles were a funny lot.

"That's true. ALRIGHT MEN! We'll be there by dawn's early light. So be ready. We don't know if the Sharingan crew will be there or not. But if they are, be on guard. These are not amateurs!" Guy calls out.

"YES, SIR!" The rest of the men cry out in a chorus.

Kakashi shakes his head in amusement. Well if nothing else, noblemen were very obedient. Their entire lives were based on hierarchy. It was almost depressing really. They were little more than well trained dogs.

"They are a good crew." Guy observes.

"A boring crew, you mean. Still I can't fault their work and that's what matters. I do hope the Sharingan is there. Then we can defeat them quickly. I would rather not keep the Queen waiting." He states.

Guy nods in agreement. He knew damn well why Kakashi didn't want to keep Mei waiting. He wasn't dumb enough to say so again. Not after what happened last time he broached the topic.

Soon enough they reached the Isle of Lust, just as the Sun was beginning to rise. Kakashi looks around. He noted there were two large pirate ships. One of them was the Sharingan. So the rumors were true. Itachi really had decided to pursue Kurama's treasure with Naruto's assistance.

"That's not good news. We will be vastly outnumbered." Guy says.

"True, but we are also likely better armed. That and we have the element of surprise on our side. They don't know that we are coming. They will all either be asleep or just waking up now. ATTACK MEN!" Kakashi cries out as the ship docks.

The crew didn't need to be told twice. They knew their mission. They were to capture Itachi and Sasuke, dead or alive. The pampered nobles quickly race off the ship and rush towards the tavern.

"This is going to be a bloodbath, one way or another." Guy muses.

"I know. Are you up for a challenge?" The silver haired man asks his best friend.

"Oh you know me. I love a good challenge. THE POWER OF YOUTH IS WITH US!" He says and dashes off after the men.

Kakashi smacks his forehead. Truly, Guy was a wonderful friend and a fine pirate. Sometimes though, he could be rather eccentric to put it mildly. Kakashi would never understand his obsession about youth.

The masked pirate decides it didn't matter. He follows his friend and crew into the tavern. One way or another they would find out who were the better pirates. Him and Guy or the Uchiha brothers.

"Oh hello there!" One of the Englishmen calls out when he sees the women were still sitting at the tables and having breakfast.

"Who are you?" Temari asks.

The man was dressed far too fine to be a common sailor or pirate. That's when she noticed he was heavily armed and he brought friends. Instinct told her this wouldn't end well.

"Why I am Asuma of the English Royal Fleet. Who might you ladies be?" He asks.

"If you don't turn right back around, we might be the ones who kill you." Rin informs him.

That's when all Hell broke loose. The men didn't take too kindly to that threat. They rushed at the women and soon the sounds of swords clashing could be heard.

"Female pirates, have you ever heard of such a thing, Kakashi?" Guy asks as he blocks Tenten's attack.

"Well there is Tsunade. She is one of the legendary Sannin and owns the Isle of Liquor. So yes, but I didn't think I'd ever see so many at once." He muses as he clashes with a blue haired woman.

"Well that's true! Damn they are a feisty lot!" Guy exclaims as he battles Tenten.

By the time, some of the other pirates were coming down the stairs to see what all the commotion was about. Sasuke blinks. Those uniforms said that the men were members of the English Fleet. What the Hell were they doing on the Isle of Lust?!

"Well it looks like they've come to try to arrest or kill us for killing that Captain." Itachi muses.

"I'd like to see them fucking try!" Hidan yells as he jumps into the fray and the Uchiha brothers just shake their heads at their friend's _enthusiasm._

Naruto and Gaara blink. Itachi's crew was rather eccentric to put it mildly. Still they shrug their shoulders and charge into battle. They greatly outnumbered the Englishmen. Surely, they would emerge victorious!

"Die, you English Dog!" Rin cries out as she swings her sword at the masked man.

Kakashi's eyes widen in recognition. It couldn't be. The woman attacking him couldn't possibly be Rin, could it? After all this time? That was impossible!

"Rin?" He asks.

"How do you know my name, you mangy cur?!" She demands as she swings her sword at him harder and faster.

"Rin, put your sword down. Let's go somewhere that we can talk." He says.

"Talk? What kind of fool do you take me for?! You English dogs have attacked us for no good reason. I won't willingly go off with you to have my throat slit. I am not a fool!" She growls at him and lunges.

Damn it! He was certain that the woman standing before him was actually Rin. But he couldn't tell her who he was in public. That would give away his true identity. He needed to get her along, but first he had to dodge her sword.

Where had Rin learned to wield a blade like this? She was no amateur. That level of skill spoke of years of training. Why did could she match him when it came to swordsmanship?

"Rin, stop it! Remember Obito! We all used to be the closest of friends!" Kakashi says as he blocks her next blow.

Her eyes widen. It couldn't be. Was that Kakashi? His hair was silver and he was young for a man to have a head full of gray hair, maybe it was. How else would he know her name and Obito.

"Kakashi?" She whispers.


	9. Chapter 9

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** There is a lemon. Warnings were put up before and after it. So if you prefer a more innocent read, you can skip that scene with ease.

Chapter Nine

Rin couldn't believe it. It really was Kakashi. He as alive and apparently working for the English Fleet? She was stunned.

"It's me. I can't believe this." Kakashi says and cautiously approaches her.

He scoops her up in his arms and swings his friend around. That's when Temari smashed a glass bottle against his head and the silver haired pirate fell to the ground. Rin stares in horror.

"Why did you do that?! Did it look like he was attacking me?!" She demands.

"We are in the middle of a battle. He's the enemy. Be grateful that I didn't kill your lover." She says.

Rin twitches. Her lover?! How dare that blonde bitch say such a thing?! She shouldn't speak of things she didn't understand. Unfortunately, the battle was raging too fiercely to give the other woman the slap she so richly deserved.

The assassin was forced to whirl around and block the sword of another Englishman. This was insanity. The clashing of swords could be heard throughout the tavern.

"AHHH!" She hisses in pain as the blade cuts into her arm.

Her block had only been partially successful. It didn't matter though. She was able to drive her own sword through the scoundrel's heart who had made her bleed. She was an assassin. Rin wasn't going to die by another's blade!

Sasuke swings his sword and beheads an English Officer. While he was in the middle of pulling out his sword, another lunged at him. A blonde blur darts between the two of them and runs his sword straight through the other man's belly.

"No one touches my treasure, especially not the likes of you." He hisses and watches as the man falls lifeless to the floor.

"What treasure are you talking about?" Itachi asks Naruto as he delivers a punch to another of their attackers.

"NEVERMIND, ITACHI! JUST FOCUS ON THE FIGHT!" Sasuke roars and takes out his embarrassment on some rather unlucky sailors.

His sword was practically singing. It was moving that fast. It was like lighting. Naruto blinks as he watches Sasuke. That had to be four, no wait five beheadings in under three minutes. Wow.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Gaara snarls and slams his sword through the lung of a man who was attacking Itachi.

"It's very sexy when you indulge in your bloodlust, Gaara. Have I told you that before?" Itachi asks.

"No. I don't believe you have." The red head replies and Itachi chuckles as he gives Gaara quick kiss on the cheek.

Konan was tossing bottles of rum at the heads of their opponents from behind the bar. She was starting to run out of bottles though. Still she figured this should cut down their numbers nicely.

Kankuro throws a table at a group of three sailors. He smirks when they fall to the ground. The pirate soon was crying out in pain when another sailor snuck up behind him and slashed at Kankuro's side.

"Kankuro!" Tenten calls out.

She had seen the blade move. The brunette tries to rush over to her injured comrade, but she couldn't do it. It was taking everything she had just to keep pace with this strange man with busy eyebrows.

Hinata spins a barrel of ale at some of the Englishman. She smiles when they fall over and was on them in a flash. She quickly slit their throats.

"Whoa! Who knew the angel could slit a throat that fast?!" Suigetsu muses out loud.

"Well there's a reason she's on our crew!" Naruto points out and the white haired man nods dumbly as he elbows another fighter in the face.

"DIE YOU FILTHY SON OF A BITCH!" Hidan yells and slams his sword into yet another sailor.

Deidara shakes his head. He couldn't believe Hidan kissed his mother with that mouth. Oh well. Art was an explosion. An explosion of blood against the walls in this case. He tosses some daggers into their opponents.

"Well I can't let the brats have all of the fun." Kisame says as he brings down his truly massive sword on one of the foreign fighters.

The fighting went on for hours. Jugo had gone berserk and finished off most of the surviving sailors. It had been a rather frightening sight to put it mildly. Thankfully, Sasuke was able to soothe the savage beast and the large man went back to being a gentle giant.

By the time it was over, there wasn't a single person without at least some sort of injury. Kankuro was the one with the worst injury. He was still bleeding heavily from his side. Karin was attending to him by the time the dust settled.

"You have to spare him!" Rin argues on behalf of the unconscious Kakashi to Itachi.

"That's the CopyCat Pirate. He's certainly got skills. I'm not certain that we can trust him though. What do you think, brother?" He asks Sasuke.

Sasuke frowns as he considers the question. There was no denying the other man's skills with a blade. He would be an asset, but he was also likely to slit their throats while they slept.

"He's sailing for the English. We can get a damn good ransom for him, I should suspect. Restrain him. We can take him hostage." The younger Uchiha replies.

"Thank you." Rin whispers.

"Don't thank me. I'm not doing this out of the kindness of my own heart or for you. If he's flying under the English Flag, he's worth something." Sasuke says.

Gaara looks around and winces. They had subdued their enemy, but most of the crews had fairly serious injuries. He was nursing a black eye and had gotten off easily compared to his brother.

"Don't worry. Karin is one of the best healers, that I have ever seen. You'll see. We'll be ready to go in no time." Itachi assures his almost lover.

The red head simply nods. He wasn't so sure he believed that, but he certainly wasn't going to argue. He just sighs in relief that none of their crew members had gotten killed. They been able to overwhelm their opponents through sheer numbers.

"EVERYONE! I want those of you who have knowledge of the healing arts to stay behind and treat our injured comrades. Those of you who aren't too severely injured to walk, I want you to head back to the ship. We will set sail as soon as everyone is cared for." Itachi bellows.

"Your brother is really loud when he wants to be." Naruto whispers to Sasuke.

Sasuke nods in agreement. Itachi had always had a commanding presence. When he wanted to, he also had a booming voice. There was just no questioning him. He had an air of absolute authority that was impossible to deny at times like these.

A few hours later, everyone was on the ship. The younger Uchiha brother corners Suigetsu. Naruto said that the man had walked in on them and he wanted to know if that was true.

"You have been looking at me strangely for awhile. Tell me why or I will cut you down where you stand." He warns him.

"When I went to get you, I found you and Naruto laying with each other. You were wrapped up in each other in the way that only lovers do. I guess I just never thought you'd be the type of man who preferred being sheathed or that you would like blondes." Suigetsu teases him.

That was it. Sasuke lunges at Suigetsu. How dare he speak to him like that? He was going to teach him a lesson.

"There has been no sheathing going on and if there was, I would be the one doing it!" Sasuke hisses at him.

"Sure sure. That's why you were all cuddled up to him like a loving bride." The white haired man says as he dodges Sasuke's lunge.

He had expected it. The violet eyed man knew that Sasuke wouldn't take kindly to his sassing. Suigetsu couldn't help it though. This was just too much fun! He couldn't resist.

"TAKE THAT BACK OR ELSE I WILL MAKE YOU WALK THE PLANK!" Sasuke thunders.

Naruto blinks. Sasuke was threatening to make a member of his crew walk the plank. What the Hell was going on? He walks over to investigate.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" He asks.

"Nothing! This is between me and him. Don't interfere!" The feisty First Mate growls at him.

Naruto raises an eyebrow. Did Sasuke really just growl at him? Yeah, he did. This was serious. He looks at Suigetsu, as if to demand an explanation.

"He asked me why I was looking at him oddly. So I told our First Mate here, the truth. I saw him and you laying in each other's arms. I never would have thought that an Uchiha brother would be so submissive or cuddle like a woman!" Suigetsu exclaims.

"Oh yeah. Now I can see why you want his sorry arse to walk the plank." Naruto says and Sasuke nods.

He shakes his head. Naruto was finally making progress with his treasure. He was certainly not going to let Suigetsu ruin it with his taunting. Clearly, he had to act. So he grabs Suigetsu by the collar and drags him off towards the mast.

The blonde quickly ties Suigetsu to it. Sasuke blinks. Naruto wasn't done though. He strips Suigetsu down until he was standing in nothing more than his underpants.

"THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO ANYONE WHO INSULTS MY TREASURE, GOT IT?" He asks.

Everyone looks confused. Thankfully, they thought that Naruto meant actual treasure. Sasuke covers his face with his hands. He couldn't believe that Naruto had actually done that.

"There. That should teach him some respect." The blonde says as he walks over to Sasuke.

"You are mad. You are stark, raving mad. I should throw your ass overboard for that stunt! I can't believe that you would say that in front of the whole ship. What the Hell is wro-" Sasuke's rant is interrupted by Naruto's kiss.

Naruto knew that he had probably gotten carried away there. But he wasn't going to allow Suigetsu to embarrass his pearl out of being with him. So he had to lay down the law.

He knew Sasuke now though. He might hiss like a Hellcat, but you could calm him down easily enough. You just had to pet him the right way.

Sasuke wanted to cuss out Naruto more. Then of course the idiot had to go and kiss him. He had to kiss him infuriatingly well. Fuck it. He grabs Naruto by his collar and drags him into the nearest cabin.

"They certainly have an interesting way of expressing affection." Gaara notes with amusement.

"Yes, they most certainly do. Well the crew seems to be doing well enough. We should board the Sharingan now. My foolish little brother seems rather busy at the moment. I doubt they will even notice our departure." Itachi says as he offers Gaara his hand.

"Me neither." The red head agrees and heads off with Itachi.

"It really is a shame that we never did get to enjoy our time on the Isle of Lust fully." Itachi muses once they were alone in their cabin.

"Aye. Well perhaps next time. It will likely be easier when their isn't a Royal Fleet chasing after us." The Captain of Suna observes with open amusement.

Itachi nods. That much was true. Well their crew was now as settled as it was going to be. That mean there was only one thing left to do. His favorite red head.

"Well things seem to have settled down for now. I brought that blindfold with me." He says and waves the silky fabric.

"You have my attention. One moment." Gaara says as he walks out of the cabin and places a **DO NOT DISTURB** sign on the door, before returning to his soon to be lover.

 **Warning Lemon**

Itachi smiles. He didn't mind allowing Gaara to have control at least in the beginning. Besides, he was genuinely curious to see what he would do.

"So eager, my love." He muses and places the blindfold on himself.

"I have the most beautiful man who has ever sailed the Seven Seas offering himself to me, completely. Who would not be eager to take advantage of such good fortune?" Gaara muses as he stands behind Itachi.

"You are rather good at stroking my ego." Itachi muses.

Gaara smiles. He quickly sets about his new task. Stripping Itachi. It was a rush to know that he had one of the most dangerous pirates in the world completely at his mercy and to see the glory that was his lover, naked.

"I assure you that is not the only thing that I am good at stroking." He whispers hotly into Itachi's ear as his hand grasps his lover firmly.

"That sounds very promising." Itachi murmurs.

The red head nods. Itachi wasn't aroused yet. He'd have to fix that. Gaara was far from a blushing virgin, he knew how to please his lovers. So he didn't hesitate to start stroking the other pirate.

Itachi groans. That felt good. He leans back against Gaara. He could feel the silky fabric of the white robes the other pirate was wearing. That was incredibly erotic to him. Knowing that the other man wanted him so badly that he couldn't even wait long enough to disrobe, was erotic.

"I thought as much. I wonder if you are like your brother." Gaara muses.

"I must admit that my desire is lessened when you begin to talk about my brother when my cock is in your hand." Itachi warns him.

Gaara smirks. It made him feel good to hear the jealousy in Itachi's voice. Almost as good as to be able to touch the other man so intimately. Still he didn't want to cool Itachi's desire too much. He'd find a way to rekindle the fire of his desire.

"My apologies. I was merely curious, if your neck is as sensitive as his." Gaara states and ghosts gentle kisses along the back of Itachi's neck.

Itachi squirms. Damn it. In that respect, he was VERY much like his brother. That little trick had taken him from being half aroused, to fully aroused.

The feeling of Gaara's lips against his skin was maddening. How could something as innocent as a few kisses to his neck drive him into such a frenzy of lust? He felt himself get fully aroused.

"Judging by your reaction, I'll take that as a yes." Gaara muses smugly and strokes Itachi more, while gliding his other hand along his lover's muscular chest.

He reveled in it. All of it. The beautiful sight of his naked lover. The taste of his skin. How Itachi would react to the simplest gestures of affection and the sounds of his lover's pleasure. Perfect. The moment was perfect.

"Evil cocktease." Itachi mutters.

"I you wanted an innocent maiden, you should have seduced a farmer's daughter instead of another pirate." He states smugly and bites down lightly on Itachi's shoulder, causing the other man to moan.

Itachi privately muses that the red head had an excellent point there. Other than Gaara, the innocent type had never really appealed to him. He preferred his lovers to be more sure of himself.

Gaara proves that he was such a lover a few moments later, when Itachi feels himself pushed to his knees. He hears the sound of the other Captain's clothes hit the floor. He felt the red head grab him by hair and place his mouth by his own arousal.

"Suck." He says simply.

Itachi smirks. Yes, Gaara believed he was in control. The elder Uchiha certainly didn't mind taking his lover in his mouth. It also served as a rather useful distraction.

He quickly sucks on his fingers before Gaara could notice. Itachi then wraps his lips around his lover's cock and sucks lightly. He swirls his tongue around the sensitive tip and gently parts the other man's legs, while he was distracted.

"Fuck!" Gaara hisses in pleasure.

He might not be able to see Gaara, but he could hear his lustful cries of pleasure. He could taste his desire on the tip of his tongue. Itachi's imagination had no issue supplying images of the gorgeous pirate for him to enjoy, even while he was blindfolded.

Itachi was gifted with his mouth in every aspect. His words, his kisses, and apparently other more…wonderfully wicked activities.

Itachi places soft kisses along the sensitive flesh. Then he licks and takes him into his mouth, sucking harder and faster. He'd bring Gaara right up to the edge and would slow down.

"Itachi, if you don't let me cum…I will fucking kill you." Gaara pants out, lost in a haze of pleasure.

This was madness. He was so close to satisfaction and then the eldest Uchiha would leave him at the edge. Itachi smirks he takes Gaara fully into his mouth and slides two digits inside his lover, as he finally allows the red head to achieve his release.

"I thought that I was going to be the one who set the pace this time." Gaara protests and squirms at the sudden intrusion.

"That is not what I said. I said that I would consent to being blindfolded. I did not say that you were going to be set the pace or how long I was going to be blindfolded." He points out and uses his other hand to undo the blindfold.

"Sneaky Uchiha!" Gaara says and umpfs as Itachi removes his fingers just long enough to shove Gaara over the side of the bed, before sliding them back in.

That was true. He knew it was a sneaky move. In his defense, he was a Pirate Captain, not a priest. Itachi had never claimed to be a straightforward fellow.

"Perhaps, but judging by the fact your cock is already at full mast again, I would say you do not really mind it." Itachi states as he stretches the tight Captain below him.

Itachi didn't think that he had ever seen anything more alluring in his entire life. The mere sight of Gaara bent over the bed was almost enough to make him cum right then and there. Fortunately, he had just enough self-control not to do so.

"FUCK!" Gaara moans in pleasure and Itachi smirks.

He had found his lover's spot. Everyone had one. Some were just easier to find than others. Deciding that his lover was prepared enough, he removed his fingers and slowly buries himself inside the other man.

Hot and tight. Itachi had never felt anything like this before. It was as if the red head was made just for him. They fit together that perfectly.

"You have to have the tightest arse of any man that I have ever met." Itachi growls into Gaara's ear lustfully.

"You can move. I won't. I'm not some fragile china doll." The red head informs him.

Itachi didn't need to be told twice. Soon he was plunging into his lover's tight heat with reckless abandon. The bed began to shake with the force of their passion, but he didn't care. If it broke, he would simply claim the other man on the floor.

Gaara moans and arches underneath Itachi. He felt so full and with every thrust, Itachi hit something inside him that made him feel as though he was flying. He could feel the heat begin to pool low in his belly and knew that he wouldn't last much longer.

"That's good. You certainly do not have the mouth of a china doll. You make such sweet moans for me." Itachi taunts him and strokes his lover as he slams into him faster and faster.

This was nothing short of ecstasy. He moans Gaara's name as he finally finds his release. His lover wasn't far behind him and came with something that Itachi could only describe as a roar.

He slowly pulls out of his lover. Itachi scoops up Gaara and then lays on the bed with him. He smiles and wraps his arms around his new lover, snuggling into him.

 **End of Lemon**

"Perhaps there is some merit to these games of yours." Gaara pants out.

"I knew that you would see things my way, eventually. You are truly a wonder. I am very glad that I saved you all those years ago." Itachi says as he kisses the other man's forehead.

"I am glad that you saved me as well. Think how awkward it would have been for me to please you with only one hand." He laughs.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement. Well yes, that would have been terribly unfortunate. Still he had no doubt that the other Captain would have found a way to manage it.

"I should think that you would have pleased me either way. Though I do vastly prefer you to be in one piece." Itachi states.

"I prefer it as well. Hopefully, Naruto and Sasuke are still in one piece the next time we dock. I am not entirely certain if they wish to become lovers or kill each other." The Captain of Suna admits.

The eldest Uchiha couldn't suppress a chuckle. Yes, that was why he warned Sasuke. He knew the truth about Naruto. Most of the time the man was as friendly of a sort as you ever would meet. However, there was another side to him. A darker side.

There was a reason why he was so well known. The blonde hadn't yet displayed his teeth. Itachi knew what the man was capable of. Oh Naruto would always choose to bestow mercy upon his foes, when given the choice. But when his back was against the wall, even Itachi didn't particularly relish the thought of going up against him.

"At the moment, I think it is an even mix of both. How long do you think Naruto will leave Suigetsu up on that mast?" He asks.

"Oh I don't know. I would say at least a day. Naruto is very protective of his lovers. He calls Sasuke his pearl or his treasure. It depends on his mood really. You know how we pirates are about our treasure…" Gaara trails off.

"Extremely possessive. Yes, I do worry sometimes. Sasuke has a habit of questioning authority. I'm not certain how Naruto will react to that in the long-term." Itachi confesses.

Gaara nods. He did have some concerns about it. He didn't think that the relationship was entirely healthy, but Gaara had never seen Naruto look at anyone in the way he looked at Sasuke. The blonde as in love.

He knew the feeling. The young pirate had been in love with Itachi for years. Now that he had him, he was never letting him go. Gaara was certain that Naruto felt the same way for his pearl. He just hoped said pearl didn't slam his clam shut as Naruto reached for him. That would end in disaster.


	10. Chapter 10

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Everyone wanted a darker Naruto. Naruto gets pretty possessive here. Obito gets more screen time. He's pretty melancholy, but things will get better for him later on. **Minor violence** in this. In all fairness though, he was kinda asking for it.

 **Honesty:** My new story. Jugo x Sasuke. I've never actually seen this pairing done before. So if anyone is up for trying out an unconventional pairing, feel free to check that one out.

Chapter Ten

"Oh come on. You can't possibly be cross with me for tying him to the mast. He deserved it. The man was provoking you." Naruto says.

"It's not the tying him to the mast part that annoys me. What annoys me is your making a spectacle of our relationship in front of all the crews. I don't mind them knowing that we are involved. I do mind the fact that you are acting as though I am your wife. I'm a man, not a woman. I really don't need you to protect me. Did I or did I not just behead five men?!" Sasuke demands.

Naruto just gapes at Sasuke at first. He couldn't believe the other man was actually upset that he had defended his honor! That made absolutely no sense. Of course, he was going to teach Suigetsu a lesson. No one messed with his pearl!

"I know you beheaded five men. I know you're strong. I was defending your honor. You should be happy. Trust me, Sasuke. I know that you are a man. It's not my fault that you just happen to be more beautiful than any woman." He defends himself.

"What'd you just say?" Sasuke hisses at him.

"That you are more beautiful than any woman? It's the truth. Just accept it. I mean look at your skin. It's more luminous than any pearl. Your eyelashes are magnificent. No woman could ever compete." He states as if it was obvious.

That was the wrong thing to say. The last Uchiha had had enough of that. He was going to prove to Naruto that he was VERY much a man. A man who was going to beat his arse black and blue for his offensive remarks!

Naruto had expected that though. He knew that if he wound up his Hellcat enough, said cat was going to going to try to scratch him. He catches Sasuke in the middle of his lunge and throws him onto the bed. Then he quickly pins Sasuke. He straddles the other man's waist and holds the other man's hands above his head to keep him from freeing himself.

"Fuck you!" Sasuke snarls at him.

"It's more like the other way around. I'm not going to apologize for calling you beautiful or defending you. You're my treasure. My most precious treasure. But I assure you that I know you are a man. I wouldn't throw a woman around like that." Naruto says.

Sasuke glares daggers at the blonde who was currently on top of him. Well at least he was acknowledging his manhood. He still didn't particularly care for the beautiful label or Naruto treating him as if he needed the Captain's protection. It was a start though.

"I'm not beautiful and I don't need you to defend me. Now get off of me." Sasuke seethes.

"Yes, you are. You might not need it, but I'm going to do it. You're mine. I'm going to protect you. That's that." Naruto says firmly.

"No. That is NOT that. Damn it, Naruto! I'm a pirate too. I can fight just as well as you. I don't need you to treat me like some damsel in distress. Get that through your fucking head!" Sasuke yells at him.

Naruto frowns. He didn't like seeing Sasuke that upset. It was one thing to rile him up in jest. It was another to see him actually angry with him. Oh well. He could fix it.

"I know you aren't a damsel. Trust me, I know that. I'm not going to apologize for defending you. You really need to stop being so stubborn and just accept that you're mine. It's okay to let someone else take the reigns. Just relax. You'll like it. You liked it when I spanked you." Naruto reasons as he reaches for Sasuke's trousers.

 **Warning Lime**

"I'm NOT yours. I just enjoy your kiss and waking up next to you. That doesn't mean you own me. I don't need you to protect me. I did NOT like it when you spanked me." Sasuke protests.

"You are a really bad liar. Yes, you did. I know you did. Your cock was flying at half mast by the time I was done." Naruto argues.

Sasuke felt his face heat up. That was true. Though he had been hoping that Naruto hadn't noticed. Damn it. That was humiliating.

He was so embarrassed by that fact, that he didn't realize that Naruto had tugged off his trousers and undergarments. He finally noticed when the cool night air hit his now exposed manhood.

"You saw that?" Sasuke asks and squirms.

Naruto still had one hand, keeping Sasuke's hands pinned. He had simply used the other hand to partially strip Sasuke. Unfortunately, his grip was still ironclad. Sasuke hated to admit it, but it was unlikely he'd be able to wiggle out of the blonde's clutches.

"Yeah. I saw that. I also see this." He says with a sly smirk and slowly pumps Sasuke's cock in his hand.

"Nnh! Fuck! Naruto, that isn't fair. How the fuck am I supposed to fight with you, when you are playing with my dick?" Sasuke demands.

That's the point. You aren't supposed to. Just relax and let me show you some of the benefits of being mine." Naruto says.

Sasuke glances at Naruto. His sapphire blue eyes were darker than usual. Clouded with lust and possessiveness. He felt himself swallow hard. He definitely wasn't getting out of the blonde's grip. Naruto was bound and determine to do…well something.

"Benefits?" He asks.

"Mhm. I know you are a treasure before pleasure pirate, but there's really no reason you can't have both." Naruto says as he glides his tongue along the length of Sasuke's cock.

"FUCK!" Sasuke groans and thrashes against Naruto's hold.

He hadn't been expecting him to start licking him THERE. He went from completely flaccid to half hard almost instantly.

"As tempting as that offer is, not tonight. Not until you admit that you're mine and accept your place." Naruto says.

Sasuke was about to respond to that. He was about to tell Naruto to go take a long walk off of a short plank, if he thought that Sasuke belonged to him. That's when Naruto took Sasuke's cock into his mouth and Sasuke almost forgot how to breathe. All thoughts of protest suddenly died down.

All that mattered at the moment was getting more of that wonderfully wicked feeling. Naruto's mouth was hot and wet. The blonde appeared to be rather gifted when it came to servicing his lover in this manner.

He'd suck lightly, swirl his tongue around the sensitive tip, and then start gently grazing his teeth against the very sensitive flesh. Just when Sasuke thought he was done, he'd suck harder and faster, while using his sinful tongue to drive him to the absolute brink of madness.

"Nar-uto!" Sasuke moans and arches against his almost lover.

Naruto smirks around Sasuke's cock. He might feign protests, but Sasuke's body at least knew the truth. He belonged to him.

He wished that Sasuke wasn't so stubborn, then he probably could have claimed him that night. Still his treasure needed to learn a lesson. Naruto was damn sure going to make sure that the First Mate learned it well. _He was in charge._

He sucks harder and faster, when he hears Sasuke calling out his name. He knew that meant the other man was damn close. He hears Sasuke groan as his release overtook him. Naruto had to admit he was rather impressed by the sheer amount of Sasuke's seed that spilled forth when he came. Sasuke was as virile, as he was sassy.

 **End Lime**

"I want you to remember the way you feel right now. I'm the only one that can give you that." Naruto says as he watches Sasuke come down from the high of his orgasm.

 _Beautiful._ He didn't give a damn how much Sasuke protested the label. It was accurate.

There was just something almost ethereal about seeing Sasuke after he achieved release. The way his ivory skin was flushed a light shade of pink, how his normally spiky hair was now framing his face like a magnificent tapestry, and the way he was panting as he tried to catch his breath. It was simply glorious.

Sasuke didn't know what to say to that. He was torn between enjoying the afterglow and wanting to punch Naruto's lights out. His body wasn't responding though. His body was currently a pile of very content goo.

"I'd smack that gorgeous arse of yours again for that dirty look that you just gave me, but I wouldn't be able to rest taking you if I did." Naruto says and wraps his arms around Sasuke, throwing the blankets over him.

"I'm going to kick your arse later for this. I swear it by the Seven Seas." Sasuke grumbles and snuggles into his almost lover.

"You can try. We both know you don't really mean it." Naruto says with a smile and kisses the top of Sasuke's head.

Meanwhile on the Sharingan, Gaara wiggles out of his lover's arms and gets dressed. He figured it was a good idea to check on Kakashi. He was a slippery one and Gaara wouldn't put it past him to find a way to escape.

"Gaara, where are you going?" Itachi asks.

"To check on our hostage. I don't trust him. Kakashi is a fearsome pirate. He was sailing for the Queen of England. That woman isn't anyone's fool. There's a reason why she would task him with avenging her fallen Captain." He states.

Itachi sighs. He quickly throws on his clothes and was at Gaara's side. The Captain of Suna had a point. They really should check on Kakashi.

They stroll to the bottom deck. Kakashi was still chained to a wall. The red head does a quick search to make certain that he doesn't have a weapon hidden somewhere on his person.

"While I'm flattered, I prefer women. I do hope you understand." Kakashi says in a cheeky fashion.

SMACK! Itachi felt himself twitch as he smacked the other man. He knew exactly what the silver haired pirate was doing. He was trying to mock them. Still he wouldn't have it. The suggestion that Gaara would be interested in another man was enough to make his blood boil.

"Ouch. That one hurt. It seems that the Captain of the Akatsuki prefers to play with swords, rather than treasure chests." The CopyCat pirate states in amusement.

"If you don't stop taunting him, he'll play with his sword alright. He'll run you through." Gaara warns him.

Kakashi chuckles. Well that was interesting. The Sharingan's Captain was carrying quite the torch for the other Captain. He recognized both men. Gaara's red hair was rather distinctive.

"I don't see what you are laughing about. You are our prisoner. Your life is forfeit the second either of us loses our patience with you." Itachi says as he points his sword at Kakashi's throat.

"If you kill me, you'll have the entire English Fleet after you. You see the Queen is rather fond of me. Besides, you'd rather have the ransom than my death anyway. Isn't that what your brother said?" The other pirate inquires.

Gaara watches Itachi warily. He knew that his lover was possessive. The man was just asking to get his throat slit. The younger Captain wasn't entirely certain if he should intervene or not. Kakashi's ransom would make for a rather large payday, but the man irritated him.

"You're assuming the English know where you are. We killed everyone in your crew. Who is going to tell them, if we do not?" Itachi asks.

"One man was unaccounted for. The one with the strange eyebrows." Gaara corrects Itachi.

"He got away? Damn. Well I doubt he can sail a ship all by himself. The man has to sleep sometimes. He'd never be able to keep course." Itachi says.

Kakashi smirks. They really didn't know Guy. He had an inhuman amount of stamina. If anyone could stay awake for days, it would be him. He wasn't going to let them know that fact though.

"I don't like the way he's smirking. He's far too confident for someone who should be in sincere fear of his life. I think you should smack him again." Gaara muses.

SMACK. Itachi couldn't help but agree with his beloved. Kakashi's smug look needed to be smacked off his face.

"Anything for you." Itachi says with a smile.

"Well that does explain why your crews are working together. So the two of you are lovers. I'm sure my Queen will find that very interesting." Kakashi grunts after he is struck again.

Gaara was starting to wonder if this man had a death wish. Most would be begging for their life. Some would have the good common sense to stay silent. Not Kakashi though. It was utterly bizarre.

"I bet your _virgin_ queen would be just delighted to have images of us together, running through her head. I guess most of the peasant class are either complete idiots or too smart to protest the inaccuracy of the virgin label. You're far too smug about your safety. A Queen bedding a glorified pirate? My what a scandal that would cause." Itachi hisses at him.

That wiped the smug look off of Kakash's face instantly. His eyes narrow. Itachi smirks. Ah so that was the spot. That was what would rattle him. Good to know.

"No one would believe you or your lover. You are just pirates. She is the Queen of England." He states.

"I don't know how many would believe us. Still I have nothing to lose from spreading the rumor. She's going to come after my head anyway. She does have something to lose. Imagine the scandal, if people start to question her chastity?" Itachi continues.

Gaara shakes his head. It was fun to taunt Kakashi back, but it wouldn't accomplish anything. He laces his fingers with Itachi's and motions towards the door.

"You can play with him another time. For now we have to figure out where we shall be sailing next." He points out.

"You're right of course." Itachi says as he walks off with his lover.

Elsewhere, Guy gets onto the English ship. He knew he didn't really have much of a choice. He would have to trail one of the two ships until they docked. There he would buy a new crew with the gold on the ship and trail them. He would keep the English fleet abreast of their movements.

"I can't believe it. He stopped fighting because he saw a pretty face." Guy mutters.

He hadn't heard Kakashi call out Rin's name. He had been too busy fighting that damn brunette. Honestly, he had never heard of such a thing. There had been so many female pirates. It was a strange new world, he supposed.

Thankfully, the ship was stocked with supplies. He wouldn't go hungry. His only concern would be keeping pace with them, but not getting caught. Well that and sleep. But as long as they docked within the week, he should alright.

"Unbelievable. What trouble has Kakashi gotten himself into this time?" He wonders out loud to himself.

He had to talk to himself. Guy would go mad otherwise. Knowing that he was the only soul left alive on this ship, was an eerie feeling to put it mildly.

Guy hadn't been particularly close to any of the sailors on their ship, other than Kakashi. Still they were his comrades. He was saddened by their deaths to a degree. Not enough that he couldn't function, but still. He felt he had failed them somehow.

"Well I won't fail Kakashi or the Queen." He promises himself.

With that in mind, Guy continues to sail his ship. He supposed he was now the Captain by default. With no one else onboard, that meant he was in charge.

Normally, being Captain would have made him happy. Not this time though. What was the point in being Captain, if you didn't have a crew?

"Hmm they don't seem to have a particular destination in mind yet. I suppose, I have time to draft the letter." He muses.

He quickly take a bit of parchment and a quill. Guy dips it in ink. He was far from a scholar, but he had learned his letters as a young boy. His writing was legible.

 _ **Your Majesty,**_

 _ **I wish that I was writing to you with better news, but I'm afraid that I am not. Our crew found the Sharingan and Kohona. The CopyCat Pirate was taken captive. I believe they intend to hold him for ransom.**_

 _ **I am the last member of the crew left alive, who was not captured. Currently, I am trailing them. The next time they dock, I will hire a new crew and continue to follow them. It is my intention to keep you informed of the situation. Please send a force as soon as you can.**_

 _ **Your Loyal Subject, Guy.**_

"Well that should do it for now." He mutters as he sends the letter off on a pigeon's foot.

Meanwhile back in England, Mei was meeting with Obito. She knew this man in passing. He was the owner of one of the largest shipyards in Europe. Any Queen or King worth their salt knew of him.

He was also Kakashi's childhood friend. The man was a recluse, but polite enough. She wanted to speak with him. If anyone knew where Kakashi had gone, it would be him.

"I grow worried. Our friend has been gone for a long time. Do you perchance have any idea where he may have gone?" She asks.

Obito sighs. He could see what Kakashi saw in the Queen. She was indeed beautiful, but she was also highly vexing. The woman just would not give up. It was a bit infuriating really.

"He went seeking the Uchiha brothers. I told him that I thought they had gone to the Isle of Lust. I would start there, Your Majesty." He states simply.

What was so difficult to comprehend about the fact that he wanted to be left alone? He honestly didn't understand why people had so much trouble wrapping their minds around such a simple concept. He hoped his answer would satisfy her. Maybe then she would allow him to return home.

"That is very helpful. The hour is late. Perhaps you should stay the night and rest. You can set sail in the morning." She suggests.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. That is very generous of you." He replies.

Obito manages to keep the irritation out of his voice. The last thing he needed was to offend the Queen of England. He was grateful when some guards escorted him to some guest chambers.

Well it wasn't home, but at least he would have some privacy. He thanks them and sighs in relief when they left. Obito flops onto the bed.

"Damn Kakashi. He's always roping me into these strange situations. This is all his fault. If it wasn't for him becoming the Queen's lover, she wouldn't care what happened to him. He'd just be another pirate on her payroll." He grumbles.

Kakashi had always had a way with women, but even Obito had never thought he would charm a Monarch into his bed. It was impressive really. Still the silver haired pirate had to know it was temporary.

"Sooner or later, she will be wed. Her husband will be in charge of the navy and Mei won't see Kakashi much, if at all. I doubt her husband would appreciate their close relationship." He muses to himself.

He vaguely wondered if the Queen loved Kakashi or if he was just a passing amusement. He supposed it didn't matter. His friend wasn't a fool. He knew exactly how this was going to end.

Speaking of endings, he sighs. Today was the anniversary of Rin's disappearance. He had no idea if she was actually dead or alive. He assumed that she was dead, but clung to the hope that she was actually alive.

"Those were better times." He sighs.

 _They were indeed better times. They might have all been poor as church mice, but they were happy. Many a day was spent by the river, fishing and playing. Laughter had filled the vast empty stretches of land._

 _He would have been content to spend the rest of his life there. Obito would have been loved nothing more than to never grow up. He would always be with the best friend and the girl that he not so secretly loved._

 _"Obito! Look what I caught." Rin cried out happily as she showed him the large fish._

 _"That's incredible!" He observed._

 _That would feed the three of them for at least a day or two. Their parents were all poor. So whenever they could feed themselves, it was always a good thing. If they couldn't, well it wasn't uncommon to go to sleep with an empty stomach._

 _"HIDE! A Royal Carriage is passing by." Kakashi warned his friends and they all hid underneath the bridge._

 _If the people inside that carriage caught them fishing in the King's river, they were all done for. At best, they might get away with having a hand cut off. More likely than not though, they'd be put in the stocks and publicly shamed._

 _Your reputation was everything. This was especially true for the peasant class. They had little else to cling to. Most were barely lucky to eek out a living. Almost none of them would ever get to ride in a carriage as fine as that one._

 _"Someday, I'm going to ride in one of those." Kakashi whispered to his friends._

 _"You are mad as a hatter. We are all common as dirt. There's no way any of us are ever going to ride in one of those." Rin said with a giggle._

 _"We may be common as dirt, but we have something far more precious than any King's gold. We have each other." Obito said with a smile._

Obito deeply treasured the memories of those days. It was really all he had left. Oh he still saw Kakashi from time to time, but it wasn't the same. He was a man in mourning. The silver haired pirate had largely moved on with his life.

Oh he didn't think that Kakashi was cold. No, he had just accepted the fact that Rin was dead and moved on. Obito hadn't. He didn't care if he had to wait a year or a thousand years to see her again. He wasn't just going to move on with his life and pretend she never existed.

"Either in this life or the next." He whispers to himself as he strips down to his trousers before getting into bed.

The bed was ridiculously comfortable. But he would have rather slept on straw and had everything restored to the way it was, than a fine bed. Despite this, it didn't take long for him to slip off into the Land of Dreams. The only place that he seemed to find any real happiness lately.


	11. Chapter 11

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. It looks like darker Naruto is a hit. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I think that this will push us over the big 100 review mark. You guys are awesome.

 **Viewers' Choice:** Who do you want Rin, Mei, Kakashi, and Obio to end up with in the end? It could be with one of the others mentioned or someone else. If you would prefer one or more of them to just fly solo, that is also an option.

 **Kisame's Song:** I made it up. Dandy is an old fashioned word. It used to be something of an insult or a playful tease. It was used to describe someone who took great pride in their looks, was cultured/wealthy, and a bit "soft."

Chapter 11

"We are going to dock here. There's a port over there." Itachi says a few days later.

"Is there any reason in particular we sailed to this one?" Gaara asks his lover.

Itachi nods. There was a man here. A man who might know more about Kurama's Treasure. Itachi had no idea if it was his real name or not, but he was known as A. Just A. His name was a fucking letter.

"I think there is someone here that can help us on our quest. Besides, it will be good for the crew to stretch their legs on land again, anyway." The elder Uchiha offers.

Gaara nods in agreement. Crews tended to get restless if they were out at sea too long. Itachi's crew was eccentric to begin with. So it was probably a good idea to dock.

"I can see your point. Besides, I'm growing a little weary of the rations. I would like a decent meal." The red head admits.

"Then you shall have one. How is our prisoner?" Itachi asks.

Gaara chuckles. He didn't know why, but Itachi seemed to delight in provoking the Queen's Pirate. That is what they called Kakashi. Oh he knew that Kakashi had tried to provoke them, but was that really enough to explain Itachi's behavior towards the man?

"He's as cheeky as ever. Honestly, I don't think he really understands that he's our prisoner." The other Captain states.

"Perhaps, I should go remind him of that fact? I think we can spare a few moments." Itachi replies and Gaara shakes his head.

"You would have entirely too much fun tormenting him. Besides, we are docking. Ignore him for the time being, my love. We have much more important tasks to focus on. Let's go speak to your friend about Kurama's treasure and enjoy a real meal together." Gaara says and wraps his arms around Itachi's neck, kissing him chastely.

Itachi pouts. Damn. He wanted to rile up Kakashi some more. Still he knew that his lover was right. They had more important things to focus on.

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE. GO TO THE NEAREST TAVERN. WE SHALL MEET YOU THERE IN A SHORT WHILE. DO NOT LEAVE THE TARVERN." Gaara thunders at the crew.

"I did not realize you could be that loud. You have been holding out on me." Itachi muses.

Gaara feels his face heat up. It was the curse of being a red head. You just blushed easier. Itachi never stopped giving him reasons to blush either.

"Well there is a lot that we still have to discover about one another." He offers.

"Of course. Well now that I know how impressive your lung capacity truly is, I think that I will need to aim higher. It does appeal to me to let the rest of the crews know just how happy we are to have found each other." Itachi continues.

"…" Gaara is speechless.

Itachi was an Exhibitionist or at least had those kinds of tendencies. The young pirate was no stranger to intimacy and the various kinks that pirates had. It surprised him that his lover had this one though.

"You were not nearly as shy when you were in my arms." Itachi muses and kisses his forehead.

"Well that was in private. I'm happy that the others know that we are together. I've just never been one display myself in such a way before." The red head argues.

"Alright. I don't mind. I suppose on second thought, there is something appealing about knowing that I'm the only one who can hear you moan like that." The Sharingan Captain says and laces his hand with Gaara's, as he leads him off towards A.

Itachi smiles and walks with Gaara. He never would suspected that the other man was shy in a way. He certainly wasn't shy when he made Itachi suck him off. He was certainly a contradiction in some ways.

After awhile, they came upon a house. Itachi knocks on the door. A rather large, middle aged man with blonde hair and a deep tan comes out. He raises an eyebrow when he sees Itachi and gestures for him to come inside.

"So what brings you all the way out here?" He asks.

"We are searching for Kurama's Treasure. I remember once you were boasting about knowing the location, when you were drunk off your arse years ago." Itachi says.

"Well you know how I get when I've had too much to drink. I start saying things, that I shouldn't. I do know the location. A fat lot of good it does me though. No one can get to it. Who is your friend?" He asks.

Itachi raises an eyebrow. A was going to be difficult it seemed. He knew the location, but the Sharingan Captain was going to have to pry it out of him. Oh well. He didn't mind playing dirty, if he had to.

"A this is Gaara. Gaara is the Captain of Suna. A is an old friend of mine." He explains simply.

"Pleasure to meet you." The other Captain says and he offers his hand to A to shake it.

"Aye. I suppose so. Itachi here is mad. He doesn't honestly believe that he is going to get his mitts on Kurama's treasure, does he?" He returns the handshake and inquires.

Gaara shakes his head in amusement. Yes, he thought the treasure hunt was mad. He wasn't going to say that to Itachi though. Frankly, he was grateful that Naruto wanted to go on this ridiculous quest so badly. Otherwise, he might never have won over Itachi. (Or maybe he should say Itachi might never have acted on their mutual attraction.)

"I think he actually believes it. You had best tell him what you know. I'd rather not have him slit your throat, after you have shown us such generous hospitality." Gaara warns him.

"Oh alright. But I'm telling you that it is fruitless endeavor. No one can get past that wicked reef. Oh and God only knows what sorts of traps Madara and Kurama laid down on that Isle." A says as he takes out a rather ancient looking map.

Meanwhile back on Konoha, Suigetsu grumbles as he Hinata tries to sort out the kinks in his back. Naruto had left him tied to a mast for two full days before he let him down. Thankfully, the bluenette was kind enough to try to help him with his sort back.

"You really shouldn't have riled him up so." She chides him gently.

"Oh I can't resist, pulling Sasuke's legs. I didn't think his lover would be so psychotic about it. How on Earth do you deal with him?" The white haired man asks.

Hinata giggles. Suigetsu had just pushed Naruto too far. The man was the friendliest man you would ever meet, until you pushed him past his boundaries. The violet eyed pirate had clearly done so. He should have expected it.

"Most of the time, he isn't like that. He must really like Sasuke. You did provoke them. How is your back feeling now?" She asks softly.

"Better. Thanks to you. You do have the magic touch. I was wondering what the Hell you were doing on a pirate's ship in the first place. You seem too…gentle for this sort of life." He muses.

Hinata's eyes narrow. She was tired of being underestimated. He was far from the first to do so. She was just as much a pirate as any of the others!

"Then I saw you slit their throats. So now I know. You are a bloodthirsty little thing." Suigetsu finishes.

He had no idea how close he had just come to getting decked rather viciously. The Hyuga woman knew that she didn't fit the typical mold of a pirate. It was a sore spot for her. Hinata would lash out when someone questioned her pirate credentials. It was just a fact.

"Well you two seem to be getting along rather well." Sasuke muses as he walks over to them.

"That's a first. I didn't think that Naruto let you go anywhere, without him at your side. He's like your shadow these days." The violet eyed man taunts him.

Sasuke gives Suigetsu a dirty look. Honestly, you would think that he would have learned his lesson by now. The man seemed to want to be punished again though.

"I can tie you right back up and put you on that mast again, if you don't show some respect. Naruto isn't the only one that can do that." Sasuke warns him.

"Alright. Alright. Sheesh. He's a bad influence on you. You never used to be so prickly about the rules." The white haired youth observes.

"Looks like the Sharingan is docking." Sasuke says, choosing to ignore Suigetsu's smartass comments in this case.

Hinata nods as her eyes follow, Sasuke's gaze. The other ship was definitely docking in the nearby port. They were a bit ahead of the Konoha. Still they should join them in a few minutes.

"Sasuke, Captain Naruto is looking for you." Jugo says as he approaches them.

"See? What did I tell you?" The mischievous pirate demands with a smirk.

Sasuke just rolls his eyes. He flips Suigetsu off as he leaves his friends behind to find a certain blonde. A certain blonde that was going to get his arse kicked, if he kept it up. Honestly, the other man needed to learn how to appreciate subtlety.

He didn't have an issue with the other pirates knowing they were lovers. (Well almost lovers anyway.) Sasuke wasn't going to let everyone think that he was Naruto's obedient little love slave though. Fuck that.

"Loser, this had better be good. Do you have any idea how smug Suigetsu looks right now?" Sasuke asks once he finds Naruto.

"I can always tie him up on the mast again, if you like." The blonde suggests helpfully.

"Tempting, but that isn't the point. It looks like the Sharingan is docking." Sasuke observes.

Naruto nods. He could see that the other ship had just reached the port. They weren't far behind them. It would be good to touch base with the other pirates.

"Yeah. I'm gonna have the ship dock too. Let's see what they are up to. Oh and loser? You don't have to be so mean, especially after I was so nice to you the other night." Naruto says with a smirk.

"Pervert. I'll let the crew know that we are going to be making a stop though." Sasuke says and turns around, in order to do so.

Naruto shakes his head. He grabs Sasuke by the collar and pulls him in for a kiss. By God , Sasuke had such a sassy mouth. It drove him crazy. Unfortunately, they were going arriving at the port in a few minutes. So there wasn't really much time to show his almost lover just how much of a pervert he could really be.

Sasuke returns the kiss. He supposed that his relationship with Naruto was always going to be a tug of war. Naruto try to establish "dominance." Sasuke would proceed to tell him to go fuck himself, in whatever way seemed the most appropriate the time. Then the blonde would grab him and the sexual chemistry would just take over.

"Was that a compliant?" The blue eyed pirate asks.

"Not really. I'll give you this much. You know how to suck a cock well. But you really need to learn not to be so obvious. Yes, the others know we are together. But I don't want them to think that I'm your…that you own me." Sasuke warns him.

"You don't want them to think that you're my adorable sex kitten. Yeah, I know. You're really proud. I think that's part of the attraction really. Sasuke, you can feign protests all you want. But I know that if I touch you in just the right way, you'll melt right into me." He reasons.

Sasuke glowers. He couldn't really deny that. Not if he was being honest. That didn't mean he was going to admit it though.

"Come on, my pearl. It looks like we are docking." Naruto says as he drags Sasuke off.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" He hisses in Naruto's ear.

"Never. It suits you. I could go back to calling you beautiful, if you prefer?" He inquires and Sasuke gives him such an icy look that Naruto was amazed that he didn't turn to ice himself.

"I swear I am going to kick your arse at the first opportunity." Sasuke warns him.

Naruto laughs. He had such a feisty lover. Well almost lover. He would change that soon enough though. Sasuke might want to fight him for dominance, but the sexual attraction was very much mutual. That's what mattered.

Two hours later, the Sharingan, Konoha, and Suna crews were now on land. Most of them were in a tavern on Itachi's orders. Guy was had just arrived on the scene. He kisses the ground once he was finally on land again.

He was so sleepy. First things first, he was going to find a safe place to rest for a few hours. The pirate was willing to bet that the other crews wouldn't set sail until the next morning at the earliest. He had time.

"How much for a room for the night?" Guy asks an innkeeper.

"Three pieces of silver or one of gold." He informs the sailor.

"Alright." Guy replies as he stuffs the silver into the man's hands and finds a room.

It was a fairly comfortable room by most standards. Certainly, it would never compete with the lavish chambers of royalty. But it was a step above what most peasants could afford. This would do just fine for his needs on this night.

"You had better be alright, Kakashi." He mutters to himself.

Guy was a pirate. It was a dangerous lifestyle, but he couldn't imagine being anything else. Still over the years, he had lost many friends. He didn't want to lose Kakashi as well.

Kakashi's only hope of survival was if he told them that he was sailing for the Queen of England. They might choose to ransom him then. That's assuming that the silver haired pirate had found a way to tell them that, before they slit his throat.

That was something of a big if. Guy was Guy though. Even after all these years, he still firmly believed in the power of youth. If anyone could talk his way out of a dangerous situation, it was his best friend and rival. Kakashi.

"He'll be okay. He has to be." Guy mutters to himself as he settles into his bed and pens a short letter.

 _ **Your Majesty,**_

 _ **I have been trailing the Sharingan and Konoha for days. They have finally landed at a port. Please help quickly. I know not how long they will be docked.**_

 _ **In the meantime, I shall assemble a new crew. It is with a heavy heart, that I must confess I am not certain how this new crew will stack up against these Devils, but I shall try my best.**_

 _ **Your Faithful Subject, Might Guy.**_

He sends that letter off. Almost immediately afterwards, Guy fell asleep. He was only human. The man had been running on pure adrenaline and willpower for several days.

Back in England, Mei looks at Haku somewhat skeptically. The Queen certainly admired his enthusiasm. Still she was worried it might get him killed.

"I understand that you want to avenge your Captain. Rest assured, that he will be. You need not worry about that. Haku, I can not in good conscience send you off to face the Uchiha brothers. It would be a suicide mission." She states.

"Your Highness, please. I beseech you. Allow me the honor, of going in person. I will make certain that they are cut down like the dogs they are. I assure you. I may be young, but I am a more than capable sailor." Haku pleads.

Mei sighs. She didn't doubt that for a moment. Still she couldn't do it. She couldn't send one of her brightest shining stars off to a certain death. The kid was much too young to go up against the likes of the Uchiha brothers.

"I'm afraid that I must reject your request." She whispers softly.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He says with a sad sigh.

"I can not permit you to take an English ship. However, please do stay the night. I think that a good night's rest will do you a world of good. When you wake, perhaps you will see things with a more clear head in the morning." She continues and Haku nods in understanding.

Haku nods in "agreement." He knew better to argue with the Queen of England to her face. Did that mean that he was just going to sit idly by, while his lover's killers were out on the loose? No. It most certainly did not.

"That is very kind of you, Your Highness. Thank you, for your generous hospitality." Haku replies with a low bow.

"Of course. I am sorry about your Captain. It wounds me greatly to lose such a fine man." She offers sympathetically.

Once he was dismissed, Haku heads back towards his room. That's when he noticed someone was following him. Haku whirls around to face them.

"Who are you and what do you want? He demands.

"My name is Obito. I couldn't help but overhear your discussion with our Queen. She quite specifically said that she wouldn't give you a royal ship. But she didn't forbid you from acquiring one of your own. I am a shipyard owner." He explains.

Haku blinks. Why would this man want to help him? He'd never met the man before. There had to be a motive. He highly doubted that Obito was just going to give him a ship, out of the kindness of his heart.

"I am Haku. Yes, the Queen did say that. Why would you offer me a ship? What would you want in return? Speak truly. I know that no one would make such a generous offer for nothing." The petite young man demands.

"One of my friends is being held captive, by the very same crew that slew your Captain. If you can get me a crew, I will sail with you. I'm not going to let him die by the hands of the likes of them." Obito tells him.

"I know men. They would make an excellent crew. But I don't have nearly enough coin to pay them all." Haku admits.

Obito smirks. Clearly, the other man didn't know who he was speaking with. Coin? That was not an issue for him. He was one of the wealthiest men in all of Europe. There would always be demands for more ships. Whether they were warships or trading vessels, made no difference to him.

"I can pay them all a more than fair salary. I think we have a deal?" He asks.

"Indeed we do." Haku agrees and shakes hands with Obito.

The two of them walk off together. They eagerly discuss their plans to take down the Sharingan and to save Kakashi. They would never know what hit them.

Back in the Throne Room, Mei sighs. She reads Guy's first lead for what seemed like the thousandth time. She couldn't believe that Kakashi had gotten captured. The silver haired pirate had always seemed so invincible.

"Damn them." The Queen mutters.

She would just have to put together a rescue mission. Haku might be teoo young to assign to such a mission, but she had the entire English Fleet at her disposal. They would regret kidnapping her lover. She was not going to pay a ransom.

If she paid a ransom to the Sharingan crew, that would only encourage other pirates. Soon they would kidnap members of the English Navy and demand ransoms. No, no. The best way to solve this was simply through the use of force.

It was really the only language that pirates understood. She was not going to be bullied into paying a ransom. No. She would find a way to get her lover back and not give into their intimidation.

"Thank God, for Guy. At least he is able to keep us abreast of their current movements. His stamina is practically inhuman." She muses.

Elsewhere, the crews were currently at the tavern. Rin looks around anxiously. She sighs in disappointment when she doesn't see Kakashi. She wondered if he was even still alive.

She knew her friend. He truly enjoyed provoking people. It'd be a wonder if the Captains didn't slit his throat. Rin knew that Kakashi was very valuable alive for ransom purposes, but his cheek was likely going to get him killed.

"Are you worried for your friend?" Konan asks her softly as she pours them another round of ale.

"I can't deny that. Yes, I am." The assassin admits as she gratefully takes a sip of the hearty brew.

Konan nods sympathetically. She knew that if her lover was taking captive by other pirates, she would be worried. Thankfully, Pein had more common sense than it appeared the masked pirate did.

He was so reckless. The man must be half mad or half suicidal, she decides. Why else would he challenge not one, but three pirate crews? He had to be completely out of his mind.

"They won't kill him. He's worth more alive." The blue haired woman tries to reassure her new companion.

"Oh dear God. He's not actually going to sing, is he?" Sasuke asks as he watches Kisame get on one of the table tops and gesture for music to be played.

 _"So I was sailing the Seven Seas."_

 _"When I found myself a dandy, he was pretty as could be."_

 _"Bent him over my knee and kicked me."_

 _"So I threw him into the sea."_

 _"It's just as well, I suppose."_

 _"Let him decompose because that rose,"_

 _"Could never make me curl my toes anyways."_

 _"Dandies are pretty to look at, but they are boring lays."_

Naruto blinks. That was disturbing. Good rhyming, but disturbing. Surprisingly, Kisame wasn't a bad singer, but he was taking a bit too much glee in that song. The blonde couldn't help but wonder, if that had actually happened.

"That was just disturbing." Sasuke mutters.

"So I threw him into the sea! Yeah!" Deidara says as he dances around, faster and faster.

The eccentric blonde grabs hold of Sakura and spins the pinkette around. This was much to the amusement of the other pirates. Sakura didn't seem to know what to make of the action at first. But then she shrugs and begins dancing with the blue eyed Sharingan crew member.

"So what do you say, my treasure? You wanna give it a whirl?" Naruto asks.

"You're asking me, if I want to dance? I don't know. You strike me as the sort of man that has two left feet." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"You can be such a bastard sometimes! I know how to dance and I'll prove it to you right now." Naruto says as he drags Sasuke off to the center of the tavern to dance with him.

The music was still playing loudly. Everyone was either intoxicated or well on their way there. All in all, the pirates were having a grand ole time. He swings his pearl around excitedly and that's when Gaara and Itachi came in.

"We might have a location. We'll stay here a few days and let everyone rest up. Then we set forth to find Kurama's treasure!" Itachi calls out excitedly.

"AYE, AYE CAPTAIN!" The pirates all say and Gaara for the ten thousandth time wondered what he had just gotten himself into.


	12. Chapter 12

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. A couple of requests are going to be granted in this one. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Current Viewers Choice Results:** They were too mixed to make a final decision just yet. So we'll see what happens. Feel free to keep weighing in. Nothing is written in stone when it comes to them.

 **Chapter Notation:** I don't know what the proper term for a lifeboat back in the Pirate Era would be, so I'm just sticking with lifeboat. Basically it just means a small boat. Think of it as being similar to a canoe.

Chapter 12

A few days later, the crews had once again docked. This time, they were buying lots of lifeboats. Itachi had informed that Kurama's treasure was on an island that was surrounded by a vicious coral reef.

Their ships would never be able to get to shore, without being torn to shreds. So the Uchiha brothers had suggested that they make the final leg of their journey in the lifeboats.

The Sharingan and Konoha were more than big enough to store the boats on, until they were needed. Unfortunately, this still meant they had to buy the boats. That meant coming ashore and shopping.

"Oh I like this one. It's such a pretty color. Yeah!" Deidara calls out and points to a blue lifeboat.

"Deidara, we aren't interested in pretty. We are interested in what can get by the reef." Sasuke chides him gently.

"Well there's no reason we can't find pretty boats that can do that! They don't have to be ugly." The blonde says and nods his head vigorously.

Itachi and Sasuke smack their foreheads. Both brothers look up at the sky as if to ask, _"Why me?"_ Well one thing was for sure. There was never a dull moment when you were traveling with the Sharingan Crew.

"Well let's see what they got." Kisame says as he scans the lifeboats with a critical eye.

"You look rather annoyed. If you stay here, someone's probably going to die. You want to come back to the ship with me? I'm sure that Itachi and Gaara can make sure the right boats are selected." Naruto suggests.

Sasuke nods in agreement. He couldn't disagree with his blonde's assessment. He heads back towards the ship with Naruto. Everything was going fine, until a brothel worker approached Naruto.

"Hey, gorgeous. Would you like to have some fun before you return to your ship? I can cut you a very good deal." The worker says.

It was well known that sailors, particularly pirates tended to swing both ways. The worker was actually making a fair assumption. There was no possible way that he could have known about Sasuke's relationship with Naruto. So on some level, Sasuke knew that what he did next was very irrational. That didn't stop him though.

CRUNCH! Sasuke's fist goes flying into the other man's nose. Judging by the amount of blood that soon began pouring from it, it was likely broken.

"He doesn't need to pay for sex. He especially doesn't need to pay the likes of you for it. Go peddle your tricks elsewhere." Sasuke seethes at the other man.

"YOU CRAZY SON OF A BITCH!" The man screams at Sasuke and lunges at him.

Naruto blinks. He quickly jumps between them. While Sasuke's jealousy was oddly erotic, he wasn't going to let his treasure kill someone for coming onto him.

"You want crazy? I can show you crazy." Sasuke growls at the injured brothel worker.

"Sasuke, stop it! Come on. Let's go back to the ship. He's just doing his job. I ain't interested." The blonde says as he drags a furious Uchiha back to Konoha.

The First Mate didn't take kindly to that. He was like a wildcat. Naruto thought that Sasuke might actually scratch his eyes out.

He shakes his head. Naruto quickly ties Sasuke up to the mast. His pearl needed to calm down. As arousing as it was to see his treasure so outraged that another man would make advances towards him, Naruto didn't want Sasuke to end up hurting himself or someone else.

"Sasuke, relax. Why would I want some brothel worker, when I have you?" He asks.

"I should still slit his fucking throat." The raven haired pirate seethed.

Naruto shakes his head. Well it was obvious that he was going to have to take drastic measures. Sasuke needed to both be soothed and punished. He couldn't allow the other man to go around slitting the throat of anyone who flirted with him.

"Naruto, what the fuck are you doing?" Sasuke demands when he felt the blonde tug at his trousers.

"Stripping you. It's obvious that you are feeling insecure about my desire for you. I have no idea why. But I have no problem proving to you, exactly how much I want you." The blue eyed Captain informs him.

Sasuke glowers at him. The other man had to be joking. He was certainly not in the mood.

"Naruto, you are not going to take me against the Mast. You must have gone mad, if you think that is going to happen." Sasuke growls.

Naruto was used to these kinds of protests from Sasuke at this point. He supposed that it was a matter of pride. His pearl might be secretly submissive, but he would never actually admit that. So if it made him feel better to pretend he didn't enjoy it, well he'd indulge him to a point.

"You sure about that? I promise that you'll enjoy it as much as I will." He whispers hotly into Sasuke's ear and nibbles on it, before completely sliding off his trousers and shirt.

Sasuke felt himself shiver. He really was going to have to kick Naruto's arse for this. There was absolutely no way that he was going to have sex while he was tied to a fucking mast!

"Naruto, if you don't untie me from this damn mast, I am going to make you walk the plank." The younger Uchiha warns him.

"I'd rather have you ride my plank than walk off of one." The blonde purrs at him seductively as he soon strips.

"Naruto, that was the stupidest thing that you have ever said to me. That's saying something because you have said some really idiotic things." Sasuke snaps at him.

 **Warning Lemon**

"Doubt you'll think it's stupid in a few minutes." Naruto says smugly as he ghosts his lips along Sasuke's sensitive neck and his hand starts stroking Sasuke.

The First Mate sighs in exasperation and tilts his head to the side. It really wasn't fair. Naruto knew how sensitive his neck was and the blonde really knew how to play with his cock.

He knew that no matter how much he might lash out at Naruto, once had got an erection there would be no denying it. There would be no denying that Sasuke wanted the other man, just as much as Naruto wanted him. The pirate arches back against the mast as he felt himself grow more and more aroused.

"You're an idiot. It's hard to argue with you when you are playing with my cock like that. The plank thing was stupid. You had better untie me and get me off or else, I really will shove your arse overboard." Sasuke warns him.

"You're so mean sometimes. I know the truth though. Deep down, you're just as cuddly as a kitten." The blonde insists as he bites down on Sasuke's neck, drawing a moan from the other man.

Sasuke felt his dick twitch in anticipation at that gesture. He really shouldn't get this excited over a little necking and stroking. None of his other lovers had ever excited him this way. Why did he have to lust after this annoying blonde so much?

"A kitten who is going to turn your cock into his scratching post, if you don't untie me and satisfy me." The First Mate continues with his threats, knowing that they were falling on death ears.

Naruto sucks on Sasuke's neck and runs his other hand over the muscular planes of Sasuke's chest. It was always fascinating. Every time he touched Sasuke, he could feel the muscles of his soon to be lover just underneath his fingertips.

There was something incredibly alluring about knowing he could drive this fearsome pirate wild with desire. All it took was just a few well placed touches. Sasuke was very sensitive.

"I'll untie you, but only if you behave. Trust me, it's much better that way." Naruto says.

"Just untie me." Sasuke growls.

He could play nice for now. The important thing was getting his hands unbound. Then he was going to teach this bossy blonde a lesson that he would never forget.

Naruto frees Sasuke from his bindings. He then quickly walks over to a barrel of rum and dips his fingers inside it. Sasuke raises an eyebrow as Naruto returns to him.

"Be a good pearl and suck." Naruto says and before Sasuke could ask what the Captain was talking about, the blonde promptly pushes Sasuke onto his knees until he was eye level with Naruto's arousal.

Sasuke normally would have refused to perform such a " _submissive"_ act, but Naruto had done it to him once. Fair was fair. At least that was what he tells himself as he wraps his mouth around the tip of Naruto's cock.

"Fuck!" Naruto growls in pleasure and gently parts Sasuke's leg, sliding a single digit inside him.

It really shouldn't feel this fucking good. Sasuke barely had the tip in his hot mouth, but Naruto already felt like he was about to cum. There was just something really wonderfully wicked about the sight of those gorgeous ruby red eyes staring up at him and as Sasuke began sucking.

Sasuke seemed to realize this because he never broke eye contact. He swirls tongue around the tip and begins deep throating him. He didn't have any hesitation to graze his teeth over the sensitive flesh to add a hint of danger to the act.

"Just like that." Naruto purrs darkly with approval as he moves his finger inside Sasuke faster, trying to stretch him.

Sasuke writhes a bit at the continued intrusion. He rarely bottomed. He distracts himself by listening to the lustful moans his soon to be lover was making and continuing to lavish the other man with his talented tongue.

"I don't think I've ever met anyone who was so good at sucking me off or so fucking tight." Naruto groans and adds a second finger.

It was really a miracle that he managed not to fuck his Pearl's throat raw. He didn't want Sasuke to shy away from this act because Naruto almost choked him. It was hard though.

"Nhh!" Sasuke cries out around Naruto as the blonde found his spot.

That spot that made him feel so incredibly _good._ He arches back against Naruto's hand when the blue eyed pirate found it. He knew he was being wanton, but didn't particularly care at the moment.

"Sasuke, stop. I want to spill my seed inside you, not on you." Naruto informs him, a few minutes later after he determines that his pearl's "oyster" was suitably open. He had loosened up just enough that the blonde was sure that he could sheathe his sword deep inside Sasuke, without hurting him.

The younger Uchiha releases Naruto from his mouth with a loud pop. The Captain of Konoha didn't waste any time. He shoved Sasuke right back up against that Mast, with his back towards him. He knew that he was probably developing something of a pinning fetish when it came to his pearl, but decides ponder that possibility another day.

"Just relax." Naruto whispers to Sasuke as he slowly buries himself inside the other man.

Naruto almost came right then and there. If he thought that Sasuke's mouth was incredible, it was nothing compared to this. He was so hot and tight. He'd had other lovers before, but none had ever fit him so perfectly.

Sasuke is pushed against the hard wood of the mast, though the relative softness of the sails, created a sensual contrast. He arches back against Naruto. He'd never felt so full before.

"Stop treating me like I'm some blushing maiden and take me. Are you a pirate or a priest?!" Sasuke taunts him.

That was all the Uchiha had to say. Naruto lost it at those words. There was just something about when Sasuke would try to provoke him, that was strangely erotic about the challenge.

Sasuke moans as he felt Naruto completely ravish him against the mast. The blonde knew exactly where to aim his thrusts. Every time he did, Sasuke felt himself moan and his toes curl in pleasure as his spot was hit again and again. Driving him to the brink of madness, but it was a beautiful insanity.

Naruto couldn't help it. He slams into his lover with a reckless abandonment. It was just too glorious of an experience not to.

Sasuke's moans spurred her him on. The beautiful sight of his ivory skin against the mast. The feeling of his tight heat wrapped around his cock in a deliciously wicked way. Even the other man's scent was arousing him even further.

The two lovers were soon moving as one. It didn't take long for Sasuke to cum hard with a roar. Naruto quickly followed suit, spilling his seed deep inside his new lover and pulling out of Sasuke.

 **End of Lemon**

"Mmm what was that you said about not having sex on the mast?" Naruto asks smugly.

"Oh just shut your mouth." Sasuke grumbles and Naruto laughs as he wraps his arms around Sasuke and cuddles into him.

Meanwhile back with the other members of the Sharingan, Suna, and Konoha crews, the search for the best lifeboats was on. Gaara sighs. Suigetsu and Karin were bickering again. He tilts his head and gestures for Hinata to break it up.

"Stop it!" Hinata says firmly.

Suigetsu wisely backs up. Karin does as well. Most of the time, Hinata was as sweet as an angel, but they both knew what she was capable of doing with a sword or a knife. Neither wanted to get on her bad side.

"Gaara, have you seen Sasuke?" Itachi asks softly.

"I haven't seen him for awhile. Then again, I haven't seen Naruto either. I bet they snuck back onto one of the ships for a little rendezvous." The red head says with a shrug.

Itachi chuckles. That sounded like a rather tempting idea actually. He'd much rather be curled up with his sexy red head than watching the crews fight over which lifeboats were the best. Still he was a Captain and had a sacred duty to protect his crew. He couldn't just dart off.

"I confess myself more than a little envious, if that is the case." The elder Uchiha admits.

"I must agree." The Captain of Suna offers.

"Alright! We have the boats selected. Let's pay for them and head off!" Sakura calls out triumphantly.

"YEAH! We're going to find that treasure!" Deidara exclaims.

Hidan shakes his head. That blonde was so hyper. Most of the time it was funny, but sometimes he wondered how much rum Deidara actually drunk on a daily basis.

"Indeed. Well let's return to our ships and go to the island. We are going to make history by finding Kurama's treasure." Itachi says as he laces his fingers with Gaara and heads towards the Sharingan.

"Do we have enough supplies for this voyage?" Gaara asks Itachi once they were on the ship.

"We have more than enough supplies. You don't need to worry about that. I always furnish my ship with at least triple the amount that I think we need. It has saved our arses more than once." The Sharingan Captain informs him.

Gaara nods in approval. Itachi was far more than just a handsome face. He was also a very intelligent man. It was a pity in some ways that he had given up his birthright. He would have been one of the few nobles that might have made things better for the peasant class.

"That's good. I know what you are going to ask. You can torment Kakashi some more." The red head says with a sigh.

Itachi smirks. He ambles off towards where Kakashi was being held. Gaara just shakes his head at his lover's antics. He didn't know why Itachi found provoking Kakashi that enjoyable, but he couldn't deny the man anything. So he quickly follows the other Captain.

"Ah Itachi. I guess your lover must have needed a rest, if you can to play with me. I wonder if Gaara will be jealous?" The silver haired man inquires.

"I have no reason to be jealous. Itachi loves me. He merely loves tormenting you. Sometimes I indulge him in his new hobby. Nothing more." The red head informs Kakashi with a shrug, once he enters the improvised dungeon.

Kakashi chuckles. It would be amusing, if he wasn't their prisoner. He supposed it still was. He doubted that they would actually kill him. The CopyCat Pirate was simply worth more alive than dead.

He wasn't that afraid of death either. There were things far worse than that. Children had a hard time realizing that lesson, but it was one that he had learned long ago.

"Does something amuse you?" Itachi demands.

"Both of you do. Children who have learned how to sail and fight well with a sword. The both of you are children. It bothers me not. Soon enough, my comrades will come for me." He warns them.

Gaara raises an eyebrow. He very much doubted that Kakashi's comrades knew where he was. Besides, even if he was the Queen's lover, how much effort would she really expand to find him? She could easily replace him.

"You certainly have a high opinion of your worth. Whether it is accurate or simply delusions of grandeur." The red states.

"Your Queen has probably already found another to warm her bed. Her standards can't be that high. She is a Queen who is bedding a pirate." Itachi continues.

"What makes you think that I am bedding her? I assure you that she is as pure as the freshly fallen snow." Kakashi snaps at him.

Gaara tries to suppress his smirk, but he couldn't do it. Yes, Itachi had gotten under Kakashi's skin again. There was really no doubt about it. The pirate and Queen were lovers and likely had been so for awhile.

"That's a point, my love. You are ahead. You've scored three against him so far and he's scored two against you. Come to bed." Gaara says as he tries to lead Itachi off.

"You're right of course. It is just so much fun to rile him." The Captain confesses.

"I believe that I have a few things that you would enjoy doing far more than taunting our captive." The young man says as he wraps his arms around Itachi's neck and kisses him.

Itachi smirks. He kisses back. The Captain of Suna certainly had a point. Tormenting the silver haired man was fun, but not nearly as fun as enjoying his lover's kiss (amongst other things.)

"I believe you are correct in that assumption." Itachi replies after breaking the kiss.

Meanwhile Obito and Haku had gathered a crew. Their ship sets sail. He knew that Kakashi was either aboard the Sharingan or Konoha. So it was impetrative to think like a pirate.

"Fortunately, Guy's most recent letter does give us a clue where to begin looking. I have heard tales that Captain Itachi Uchiha is friends with a man named A. I believe we should start by questioning him." Obito states.

Haku nods. Well it was as logical a first step as any. They were no longer on the Island of Lust. They would have left the closest port by now as well. So Obito's suggestion was as logical as anything else.

"Do you have a map for me that will lead to where this A lives?" The young Captain inquires and Obito nods.

He quickly hands the Captain the map. Haku nods and goes to set their course, leaving the other man to his thoughts.

"I just pray we aren't too late." He whispers to himself.

Kakashi had changed radically throughout the years, but he was still his best friend. Obito had become a recluse in recent years. The one person that he couldn't stand to lose was the silver haired pirate.

He had no idea if Rin was still alive or not. It was logical to assume she was dead. Though she might still be alive. Until he found that out for certain, Kakashi was his last living friend. He wasn't going to let a bunch of pirates murder him.

"BOY! YOU ARE AN IDIOT! I TOLD YOU TO FETCH THE RUM, NOT THE ALE!" A man roars and slams a Cabin Boy into a wall.

Obito's eyes narrow. It was a simple mistake. Honestly, was there that much of a difference between ale and rum? Liquor was liquor.

"Stop hitting the boy. I doubt you are sober enough to taste what little difference there is anyway." Obito thunders at the sailor.

"What'd you say to me?" The sailor demands.

"I said quit beating the scrap of a boy. Fetch your own rum, if you want it that badly. It's not impressive when you beat a boy that was a hundred pounds, soaking wet." The shipyard owner says.

That set the sailor off. He lungs at Obito with a knife drawn. Obito grabs him by the arm mid lunge and throws him over the side of the ship. They had not been sailing long. They were only a few hundred yards away from the shore. So the water was not particularly deep yet. He likely wouldn't drown.

"Is h-e dead?" The boy asks?

"I doubt it. He's going to have to swim back to the shore though. I won't allow such filth back onto my ship. Are you alright?" Obito asks.

The boy nods. He couldn't believe that the older man had actually thrown his attacker overboard. No one had ever stuck up for him before. He was just a lowly cabin boy.

He knew that he was lucky to be even that. Many children toiled away in even worse working condition. The worst he had to put up with was the occasional angry drunk. He could have been in the poorhouse.

"Come on. Let's get you looked at by the ship's physician. Your cheek is badly swollen. A coward he may be, but his fist still did some damage." The lonely man informs him and leads the child off.

Well perhaps the day wasn't a complete waste. It was always nice to put pompous fools into their place. Obito highly doubted that this was the first child that man had struck. It probably wouldn't be his last.

His lips curl in distaste. People who struck children were amongst some of the most vile scum in his view. It was one thing to hit someone who could hit back, it was another to attack someone who was almost defenseless.

"Thank you, Sir." He says and Obito nods.

He had done his good deed for the day. He heads to his own cabin. Obito sighs and settles into his bed, opening his favorite book. It was going to be a long trip to A's, after all. He might as well enjoy a good book.


	13. Chapter 13

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. This story has a pretty loyal crew of reviewers. ^^. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Sorry, Sasuke. We are setting the stage for darker Naruto, so it was necessary. Sasuke will be fine. No character deaths in this chapter. Besides, I wouldn't kill off someone from the two main pairings.

Chapter 13

The Sharingan and Konoha had been sailing for about two weeks, when a horrible storm hit. A storm the likes of which even the experienced pirate crews hadn't seen before. The waves crashed into the ship without mercy, spinning the mighty vessels around like mere toys.

"KONAN! SAIL US TO THE NEAREST ISLAND!" Itachi thunders at her.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" The blue haired woman replies and tries her best to steer their ship towards the closest island.

It was no easy feat. She was barely able to keep the ship afloat, even with the help of two crews. The pirates were bailing water out of the ship as fast they could and trying to provide Konan enough cover to allow her to steer.

"This is complete madness." Gaara whispers to Itachi.

The Captain of the Sharingan couldn't help but agree. He had been sailing for years. Never before had he witnessed a storm that was this fearsome. It made him shiver. The sea was angry. Very angry.

He bites his lower lip. Itachi knew that Sasuke was on a ship with two experienced crews on it. Still he couldn't deny that he was worried. Sasuke was the only family that he had left. He couldn't lose him.

"We are docking, Captain!" Konan calls out and the pirates quickly get off of the ship and rush onto the island.

Meanwhile on Konoha, Sasuke was desperately trying to steer the ship towards the island. The waves kept crashing though. People were nearly being swept overboard. Shouts and screams were being drowned out by the sounds of the furious water that was threatening to sink them.

"MAN OVERBOARD!" Suigetsu calls out in horror.

"Kisame, cover Sasuke!" The blonde says as he dives over the edge of the ship and tries desperately to save Kiba.

"Got it!" The blue skinned pirate calls out as he watches the blonde dive off.

Sasuke had never seen waves like this before. It took all his strength to steer the wheel. He manages to get the ship on course towards the island that the Sharingan had just docked at.

He could see the ship. He could see Itachi and Gaara getting off it. They were almost there. They were so close. Just a little bit further.

"HELP!" Karin calls out as she was struggling against a wave of water that was threatening to shove her overboard.

Kisame glances at Sasuke. He seemed to have everything under control for the moment. He decides to help the red head. He'd be back in less than a minute. Surely, the brat would be okay for that long.

He looked away for only a moment, but that was all it took. A massive wave struck right where Sasuke was standing. It slammed him off of the ship and right back into the current.

"MAN OVERBOARD! THE FIRST MATE!" Kisame calls out in a panic and immediately goes to steer the ship.

He manages to steer the ship towards the shore. They were docking a few minutes later. Naruto had managed to save Kiba and was helping him onto the shore, when he noticed it wasn't Kisame that had steered them to the shore.

"Kisame, where is Sasuke?!" The blonde demands.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I looked away only for a few seconds at most. Karin needed help. He went overboard." The older pirate says.

Everyone went silent. The pirates who were wearing hats, lowered them as a sign of respect. Unless someone grabbed you right away when you went overboard and could swim against the current, you were a dead man (or woman.)

"Sasuke!" Itachi calls out mournfully and Gaara embraces his lover comfortingly.

"I am so sorry." He whispers and holds him even tighter, trying to ease his pain.

Naruto stares dumbstruck at Kisame. That couldn't be true. Sasuke didn't go overboard. He couldn't have. He couldn't be dead! His pearl was always so feisty and full of life! He couldn't be fucking dead!

"I TOLD YOU TO COVER HIM!" Naruto roars and lunges at Kisame.

Kisame jumps back. The kid was deadly serious. The older pirate had been in more than his fair share of fights over the years. He knew when someone was actually trying to kill him, when they were just angry, or play fighting. Naruto wasn't playing.

"Naruto! Stop it! It won't bring Sasuke back." Itachi calls out.

"No. It's HIS fault that Sasuke went overboard! If he had just stayed there and covered him, then he wouldn't have died! You as good as murdered him!" The blonde snarls at the other Captain.

Kisame tries to dodge the blows that Naruto was throwing at him. He wasn't entirely successful though. He didn't have the heart to hit back. The kid was right in a way and he was grieving. It wouldn't be fair. But fuck did that hurt.

SMACK. BAM. CRUNCH. Naruto's punches and kicks were coming fast and furious. The blue skinned man was positive that he had at least a couple broken bones. The other pirates could only watch in horror.

"HELP! COME ON! I NEED SOME HELP!" Jugo calls out.

Naruto pauses briefly. He looks up and sees Jugo carrying Sasuke. Sasuke wasn't moving though. The blonde forgets about Kisame and rushes over to him.

"Is he alive?" The Konoha Captain asks desperately.

"He's got a pulse, but he ain't breathing! Sakura! Karin! We need you." The gentle giant calls out and the girls rush over.

Jugo sets Sasuke down on the beach. Sakura begins pushing on his chest and Karin tries to breathe air into his mouth. Naruto and Itachi watch helplessly. Both of them torn between terror and hope.

A few tense minutes later, they hear Sasuke gasp for air and his eyes fly open. His mouth spits out seawater and blood. Naruto was instantly at his side.

"Sasuke, are you okay? Can you hear me? Can you see me?" He calls out pleadingly.

Sasuke weakly nods his head. Everything was spinning. He knew that there shouldn't be three Naruto's. The pain was intense. When he got thrown overboard, he had crashed into a rock. He was almost certain one of his ribs was broken.

He knew that he was alive though. If he was dead, he was sure that he wouldn't feel pain. It was just really hard to keep his eyes open.

"Thank God." Itachi sighs in relief and Naruto cradles his lover in his lap.

Naruto panicked when he saw Sasuke close his eyes again. Thankfully, Sakura reassured him that Sasuke was still breathing. Therefore, he was okay.

"You had better thank God, Kisame. You are damn lucky that he's still alive or I would have fucking killed you. I still might." Naruto seethes and gently scoops up Sasuke.

Kisame shivers. He didn't doubt for a minute that the kid was dead serious. He looks at Itachi uncertainly. Itachi gestures for his friend to put some serious distance between himself and the anxious blonde.

"At the moment, we need to find shelter. He's been in icy waters. He's just as likely to die from exposure as anything else." Itachi warns Naruto gently.

"I think I saw some caves in the distance. That would be warmer. Someone fetch some blankets." Gaara commands and Temari rushes off to do exactly that.

Naruto follows the red head. He sighs in relief when they get to the cave and gently sets Sasuke down. A few moments later, Temari comes in with the blankets. Naruto nods at her gratefully and wraps them around his lover.

Meanwhile Haku and Obito arrive at the port while A lived. The two of them immediately head to his home. Obito knew exactly where it was located and wasted no time in busting down the door.

"Alright you old curmudgeon, you are going to tell us what we want to know or I will run you through." The shipyard owner warns him.

"I'd like to see you try." A replies and draws his sword.

Haku had to admit that he was impressed. He never would have thought Obito was the type of man who could bust down a door. Well he supposed there was a good reason why people said never to judge a book by its cover.

"Very well. You had a chance to do this the easy way." Came his reply as he rushes at A.

A swiftly dodges. Haku marveled at the speed of the old man. The two were quickly locked in deadly combat. The sounds of their swords clashing could be heard ringing throughout the house.

"Not bad for a recluse." A mutters as he swings his sword.

"Not bad for a walking corpse." Obito counters as he swings his blade towards his opponent.

His goal wasn't to kill him. That made this fight more difficult. Killing him would have been easier, but he needed him alive. He needed whatever information he might have on the Uchiha Brothers.

"How terribly witty." The tan man snarls as he thrusts at the other man viciously.

Obito smirks. He had found his sore spot. It seemed A was more than a little sensitive about his age. This could easily work to his advantage.

The most important thing in a fight was knowing your opponent. Getting your opponent riled up was always a smart thing to do. Angry people tended lash out without thinking. That gave you an opening, if you played your cards right. That was something that the shipyard owner was very good at doing.

"I know. So tell me. What is it like to be older than England?" He inquires and A lunges at him in a mad rage.

Obito smirks. He slams his sword into the other man's side. It wouldn't be a fatal blow as long as it was treated and didn't become infected. Even if A did die from the injury eventually, that didn't concern him. He wanted answers.

"AHHH. YOU SON OF A BITCH!" He hisses.

"My mother was actually a very lovely woman. You should take that back or I will become very cross." The shipyard owner warns him as he twists the sword to emphasize his point.

A snarls in pain. He glares at the other man menacingly. When he got his hands on Obito, he was a dead man!

"Your mother was rather unfortunate then. She gave birth to scum like you. I suppose it's the luck of the draw." He hisses.

Obito didn't take too kindly to that. He slams A against the wall. The younger man keeps him pinned there.

"You have no manners. However, I am not here to discuss my mother or your lack of social skills. I know that Captain Itachi Uchiha is friends with you. I want to know where he went. If you tell me, I will let you live." He promises.

"What good is the word of a man who would attack another who has done him no wrong? I expect you were planning to kill me anyway. So why should I betray Itachi, to help you?" He growls.

"How about you tell him what he wants to know or we hunt down every member of your family. You may not be afraid to die, but can you say that about all of your loved ones?" Haku asks in a deceptively gentle voice.

"Monsters. The both of you are monsters!" A seethes with rage.

Obito shrugs. He had been called much worse and by far better than the likes of him. He twists his sword further until the man begins to talk.

"They are after Kurama's treasure. I heard a tale a long time ago, about an island. I believe it to have the treasure on it. They went there, but there is a vicious reef around it. Any ship that tries to pass it, gets destroyed. I can give you directions, for all the good it will do you." The blonde snarls.

"Well then you had best start talking." Obito says and Haku writes down the directions that the rather reluctant old man gives them.

Back on the Isle of Lust, Jirayia sighs. He was damn lucky that he escaped that bloodbath with his life. His entire tavern was utterly ruined. Thank goodness, that Tsunade was helping him with repairs.

"I can't believe that happened. Sheer madness, I tell you." She states as she sweeps up some of the broken glass.

"I haven't seen the English attack so many pirates at once before. They took the CopyCat Pirate hostage. They probably think they'll get a ransom for him. Do you think they'll actually find Kurama's treasure?" The white haired man asks his companion.

Tsunade pauses. Normally, she would say no. It was nothing more than a fool's errand. Still if anyone could do it, it was probably them. They had easily defeated a the English. That was no small feat.

"I don't know. They seem like a rather fearsome combination of crews. That can't be just one crew. It's too large. I don't care how big the ship is, there's no way that an individual pirate crew would boast that many men and women aboard the ship." She replies.

Jiraiya nods in agreement. Those were some fierce pirates. That was certainly saying something. It took a lot to impress him. He thought that he had seen it all.

"Unusual to see so many women pirates." He msues.

"I've told you and every that would listen to me for years, that women make for just as fine a pirate as any man." Tsunade snaps at him.

"Well one can't argue with the view. I suppose if you are going to be run through, it's nice to see a pretty face before you day." He says cheekily.

Tsunade sighs. Honestly, she had no idea what she was going to do with this man. God help her, she adored him. But he was the biggest deviant that she had ever met.

That wasn't something she said lightly. She had seen many a deviant in her time. She did own the Isle of Liquor. People could do very strange things when they were intoxicated.

"Pervert. Come on. This is going to take weeks to get properly cleaned. They did a fine job, destroying the place." She mutters in irritation.

It was true. Seldom had she witnessed such chaos. There were corpses, thrown tables and chairs, and broken glass everywhere. Not to mention all the blood. This was the Isle of Lust, not the Isle of the Lost. This was completely unacceptable!

To make matters worse, they had waited weeks before coming back into the tavern. Neither of them wanted to risk running into the pirates again. So they waited until they were certain was safe. So the corpses were rotting and that just added to the unpleasantness of the task before them.

They had a reputation to protect. Tsunade, Jirayia, and Orochimaru had been the Legendary Sannin. The fiercest pirates to have sailed the Seven Seas in the last century. Now they were famous for ruling over the Triangle of Death. If they couldn't even control what happened on their Isles, what use were they?

"Yes, they did. Well I suppose we should count our blessings. At least we are still alive. There were so many of them. I'm not sure even we could have gotten out alive, if they had set their sights on us." He admits.

"You've gone soft in your old age. Is your belly full of jelly now? Of cours we could have handled it. It wouldn't have been pleasant, but it will take more than a few crews of snot nosed brats to take down the last two remaining Sannin!" She states.

Tsunade quickly grabs one of the few unbroken bottles of sake. She begins to chug the strong brew straight out of the bottle. She was a pirate, not some pampered noble. Glasses were optional!

"I'm surprised your liver hasn't failed you, yet." Jirayia tells her.

"Oh shut your mouth. I don't need a lecture from a man who has bedded half of the bar maidens within a hundred miles." She snaps at him.

"You are exaggerating. In all fairness it's more like a quarter of the bar maidens within the nearest fifty miles." He corrects her.

Tsunade shakes her head. Honestly, the man was the perfect owner for the Isle of Lust. His libido had not cooled in the slightest in all these years.

"You say that as if it is something to be proud of!" She snaps at him.

Elsewhere in a certain cave on an uncharted island, the Sharingan, Konoha, and Suna were huddling together. Rin was sitting protectively by Kakashi. He was still tightly bound, but at least they hadn't left him on that ship.

"Their all in love." She whispers to him.

"It looks that way. Itachi is particularly fond of the red head. He seems to think that he can provoke me. Likes to make a sport out of it. Gaara has a fairly tight leash on him though. As for Naruto, he hasn't looked away from Sasuke since he was rescued." He muses.

"You can stop your conspiring!" Kankuro snaps at the pair of them and the two reunited friends quickly go quiet.

Suigetsu and Hinata take that as a cue. The two of them quickly sit next to the prisoner and their reluctant comrade, Rin. Neither of them were going to risk letting the pair of them try anything.

Gaara sighs and leans into Itachi's arms. He was perfectly content to allow his lover to hold him as tightly as he desired. Itachi had very nearly lost his brother and was still very shaken for the whole ordeal.

Unfortunately for Itachi, Naruto had claimed Sasuke. The red head wasn't entirely certain if the elder Uchiha could get near his brother, if he tried. Thankfully, Itachi seemed to accept the fact that his brother was in good hands at the moment and wasn't going to push his luck.

"I really thought that I had lost him." Itachi whispers.

"Apparently, Uchihas are too tough even to drown." The other Captain says reassuringly and Itachi nods in agreement.

Sasuke was trying to sleep, but he felt someone holding him. Someone caressing him. He could hear someone whispering words of adoration.

He frowns. The youngest Uchiha knew that he should know that voice. It bothered him enough that he didn't, that he slowly opens his eyes. Oh. It was Naruto.

"Sasuke! You're awake." He exclaims.

"Your blubbering woke me up. Ah fuck! Hu-rts to talk." He hisses.

"You shouldn't speak then. One of your ribs is broken. It's okay. You were thrown overboard, but Jugo saved you. You are going to be alright." Naruto promises.

The First Mate manages to nod at this. He sighs in contentment when he felt his lover holder him tighter and wrap the blanket around him more. It kept out the bitter cold. He knew that he was damn lucky. Logically, he should have been dead.

"I should never have left you. Kiba was thrown over. I thought Kisame would protect you. I swear it Sasuke, I'm going to turn him into sushi. He should have covered you while you were getting us to shore." Naruto growls.

Sasuke frowns. Damn it. He didn't want to start a war between Naruto and his brother's eccentric friend. He knew he was going to regret this, but he had to say something.

"Naruto, don't. It's not his fault." Sasuke says through gritted teeth.

"Yes, it is! He should have protected you. I trusted him to keep you safe and he didn't. I almost lost you. Itachi almost lost you. Our crews almost lost you!" The blonde says and bites back a snarl.

He didn't want Sasuke to think that he was mad at him. No, his fury was reserved for Kisame. He was never letting his precious pearl out of his sight again.

Naruto doubted that he would ever get the image of Sasuke's seemingly lifeless body in Jugo's arms out of his mind. It didn't matter how long he lived. He'd never forget the sheer horror that he had felt.

"Naruto, listen to me. I don't want you to fight him. He was saving someone else who went overboard. It's not his fault." Sasuke insists.

The blue eyed Captain gave Sasuke a rather incredulous look. Sasuke mentally sighs. Apparently, logic wasn't going to get him anywhere.

He hated to do it, but he had no other choice. He had to play the Damsel in Distress Card. (Even though he wasn't a fucking damsel!)

"Please don't. I need you to stay her with me. It fucking hurts and I'm freezing." He pleads.

Naruto's eyes soften. He kisses Sasuke's forehead. How had he let this happen? He'd almost lost his most precious treasure. He should have known better. Someone else could have rescued Kiba.

"Deidara, get me another blanket for Sasuke!" He snaps and the other blonde quickly heads over with the blanket.

"Don't worry. You'll be nice and warm soon. Yeah! We are working on starting a fire." The eccentric man says.

Sasuke smiles gratefully at Deidara and nods. He makes a grand show of snuggling into the blankets, as if seeking out more warmth. He was cold, but mostly he just wanted to distract his very angry lover. In the youngest Uchiha's mind, he was probably saving Kisame's life.

"Is that better?" Naruto asks Sasuke gently and the First Mate nods his head.

Part of him did enjoy being fawned over in this way. It was nice. The raven haired pirate knew that at the moment, he was the center of Naruto's world. That was almost worth the broken rib and nearly drowning. (Though it would have been nicer, if he hadn't just threatened to murder someone.)

"Well that was masterfully played." Itachi whispers to Gaara.

"What do you mean?" The red head asks his lover in confusion once he hears that cryptic statement.

Itachi eyes Sasuke and Naruto carefully. Oh he didn't doubt his brother was in a pain and cold, but he was playing "sicker" than he actually was. He could tell.

"Naruto is very angry with Kisame. Sasuke's just playing to Naruto's need to be a protective lover, to save his hide." The elder Uchiha whispers and Gaara blinks.

It made sense in a twisted way. Still he wondered how effective such an approach would be long-term. Suddenly, the young Captain found himself very worried for his former mentor's safety once more.

Naruto was clearly deeply in love with Sasuke. The blonde was extremely protective of those he loved and would lash out at anyone who threatened them. To the Konoha Captain, Kisame was to blame for his lover almost dying. This might not end well.

"How long do you think that will work?" Gaara asks nervously.

"Reasonably, a couple of weeks at most. Sasuke is not a man who takes being "pitied" well. He wouldn't be able to keep up that act long without it injuring his pride. He's very proud." Itachi replies honestly.

"Hmm sounds familiar." The pirate muses and Itachi chuckles.

He couldn't deny that one. Uchihas were just a very proud family. They always had been. More than once it had gotten him and Sasuke into trouble, but it was just the way they were.

"Let's just hope for Kisame's sake, that Sasuke keeps it up for a good while. Naruto's fury will take awhile to cool. I'm rather grateful that I'm not Kisame at the moment." Itachi admits.

"Me too." Gaara agrees and watches the lovers warily, knowing that it wouldn't take much to set Naruto off.


	14. Chapter 14

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** This chapter wanted to fight me when it came to length. So a lot of characters got screen time in this one. There is also some **very slight** exhibition in this. I didn't feel it was enough to merit an official warning though.

Chapter 14

Mei was the Queen of England. As such, certain things were expected of her. One of those things was to be the picture of grace and serenity at all times. This was just not one of those times.

She paces in her bedchambers. Here at least, she could express her anxieties to her heart's content. The Queen was not a fool. She knew that her relationship with Kakashi could only realistically last so long. Eventually, she would have to marry. And if she got caught in an affair after that, it could very well mean the end of both of them.

"I hope that Guy is safe and having good fortune. The filthy pirates likely want their ransom more than they want Kakashi's blood on their swords." She mutters to herself.

She was trying to reassure herself. Pirates were generally not the most trustworthy people. What was to stop them from slitting his throat and demanding the ransom? She might pay them only to find out that they had already thrown him overboard.

Mei hated feeling so helpless. All she could do was wait. There was a very good chance that her lover might already be dead. There was nothing she could do about it and that drove her mad.

"Your Highness, the King of Spain's ship was just seen in the horizon. We expect he'll be docking shortly." One of the maids says as she dares to peek her head into her room.

"Thank you. I shall make myself presentable and meet him as soon as he arrives." Mei replies.

The maid curtsies and scurries off. The Queen couldn't blame her. It must have been rather obvious that she was in quite a frightful state. She sighs and quickly changes into one of her most elaborate gowns. After all, she was meeting with a King. Only the best would do.

A short while later, she walks out towards the courtyard. She could see the King's escorts all around him. A Monarch would be foolish to travel without them. She walks towards him with her head held hair and in a slow, regal fashion.

"Your Majesty, you are looking well. I am afraid that I have only bad news to tell. I'm certain you are already aware of it, but the pirate situation continues only to get worse. We simply must take action." He says.

She nods in agreement. It was only years of schooling her facial features to betray no emotion that allowed her not to raise an eyebrow at such an abrupt greeting. Things must be going poorly for his sailors, if he would bring that up immediately.

"I couldn't agree more. Come, we have much to discuss and you must be tired from your long journey." She offers her hand to him and the King takes it.

In reality, she loathed the Spanish King. His Armada was his pride and joy. She couldn't allow Spain to dominate Europe, but at the moment there was little she could do. So she cultivated this fake alliance.

"Indeed. It was a most taxing voyage. The weather was not particularly kind. Still we have fine ships and even better sailors manning them. We made it here safe and sound. Thanks to the Grace of God, of course." He says with a smile.

"Yes. I am relieved to hear that. These are dangerous times. Our Kingdoms can not afford to lose their rulers. That would create enormous instability. Tell me, do you still favor English Muffins?" She asks.

"Yes, I do. They are the best thing to have come out of your country. Delightful invention they are." He says and Mei nods as she leads him to the Dining Hall.

She really wished he would choke on his muffins. Still she knew better. If he died while visiting her, people would suspect that Mei was behind it. Then the Vatican would get involved and it just wouldn't end well.

"I'm glad that you like them. How long will you be staying?" She asks.

"Oh I should think a month should be sufficient for us to come up with a strategy for dealing with these barbarians." He says merrily.

Mei was tempted to go bash her head against the wall or feign illness. A month?! Oh dear God, why?! What had she ever down to deserve such a punishment? Surely, she would go mad before the month was over.

Meanwhile back on the island, Sasuke was still being cradled and kissed by Naruto. He smiles and returns the kisses. That was until the scent of blood hit his nose.

Sasuke breaks the kiss and frowns. He looks around to see where the scent was coming from. His eyes widen when he sees Kisame's face. He was bleeding badly, likely from a broken nose.

"Naruto, please tell me that you didn't beat him?" Sasuke demands.

"Alright. I won't tell you. Don't fret over anything. You need your rest. You have a broken rib!" Naruto exclaims.

Sasuke gives Naruto a dirty look. He couldn't believe that the other man had beaten Kisame so thoroughly. Had Kisame fought back at all?

Say what you will about blue skinned pirate, he was a damn good fighter. His lover was powerful. Sasuke never questioned that, but it seemed unlikely that he wouldn't have taken any damage from a battle with the other captain.

"Naruto." The raven haired pirate growls in displeasure at the blonde's evasive answer.

"I won't apologize for it. He deserved that and worse. It's his fault that you went overboard. I almost lost you because of him. Itachi almost lost you. The crews almost lost their First Mate and a damn fine pirate!" The blue eyed man half yells.

Sasuke mentally sighs. This was going to take a lot of work. It was flattering that Naruto was so worried about him, but he couldn't let this go on. Kisame was an asset on their treasure hunt. He wasn't going to let Naruto kill him.

"If you promise not to kill him, I'll let you bend me over Kurama's treasure when we find it and ravish me to your heart's content." He says.

"Really? You won't play coy like you usually do?" The blonde asks.

Sasuke frowns at the use of the word coy. It sounded so damn feminine. Damn it. Naruto was really making this helpless routine difficult to pull off.

His natural impulse was to throttle him for such a label. He cooled his temper though. Sasuke knew that Kisame's continued survival was important to the success of the mission. So he'd just have to ignore his injured pride for now.

"Mhm. I'll do whatever you like. Why wouldn't I? You take such good care of me." Sasuke replies with a seductive purr to his voice.

That whole seductive purr thing was a bitch to pull off with a broken rib. Sasuke was rather proud of himself for managing it actually. Still he was glad he did. Naruto was definitely buying the adoring love slave act.

He was buying it in a very BIG way if the bulge Sasuke felt underneath his ass was any indication. He was sitting in Naruto's lap now. The younger Uchiha knew that was not a sword that he felt pressing against him. Naruto was getting aroused by his fake submission. Really, really aroused actually.

"Alright. I won't kill him this time, but if he ever puts you in danger like that again…I can't make any promises." The boisterous pirate informs him.

"I can live with that." Sasuke agrees.

"Well it seems as though he's doing a rather convincing job of it so far." Gaara muses to Itachi.

His lover nods. Itachi leads the red head off to a more private corner of the cave. Naruto wasn't the only one who wanted some more alone time with his beloved.

"As I said, he can probably only manage it a couple weeks at most. I'm rather blessed to have you in this respect and in every other respect. You are such a delightfully cooperative lover." Itachi states as he captures the other captain's lips in a heated kiss.

Gaara returns it happily. It felt good to enjoy the other man's loving embrace again. Things had been so chaotic lately. He supposed that was just the price that one paid for being a pirate though.

"Mmm delightfully cooperative? I don't believe I've ever had that description applied to me before." He states in amusement after breaking the kiss.

"Well it is accurate. Everything about you is delightful." Itachi informs him and places feather light kisses along the Captain of Suna's collarbone as if to emphasize his point.

Gaara sighs softly in pleasure. That felt good. Really good. Some days, he couldn't believe that Itachi was actually his lover. He half wondered when he would wake up and discover that it was all just a wonderful dream.

"I feel the same way about you." The red head tells him and runs his fingers through his lover's dark tresses.

It was tempting just to forget about Kurama's treasure. He was certain that he and Itachi had more than enough stolen loot to be set for life, possibly ten life times. Why risk their lives on a quest that might prove to be a wild goose chase?

"Mmm I know what you're thinking. Don't. Naruto would have all our heads, if we turned back now. Sasuke was injured to find this treasure. So now, it's personal." He warns him.

"Damn. You're right. Well it's late. We should probably all get some sleep. Maybe the storm will have died down by morning." Gaara suggests and Itachi nods in agreement.

Everyone was settling down for the night. Some of the pirates were exchanging stories around the campfire. Naturally, Deidara couldn't resist trying to steal the spotlight.

"So I just walk right into the women's baths. They actually thought I was a woman because I have long hair. Yeah! Best day of my life!" He exclaims cheerfully.

"You pervert!" The women all snap at him and the bubbly blonde just smiles proudly.

Kisame shakes his head in amusement. Deidara was going to end up as black and blue as he was at this rate. He hoped for the kid's sake, he knocked it off soon.

The women were shooting him some rather dirty looks. Deidara was in for a beating if he didn't cease his eccentric antics immediately. A very vicious one by the looks of it.

He sighs as he looks at Naruto and Sasuke. He knew that the blonde was just upset that his lover had almost died. It was only natural, but he also knew that he had to watch his step from now on. It was a miracle that the other Captain hadn't actually killed him.

"I'd stay out of Naruto's sight for awhile." Jugo offers good-naturedly.

"Yeah. I'm planning on doing exactly that. I didn't mean for anything to happen to the brat. It's just Karin was about to go overboard. He looked fine. I only turned my back for a moment." The blue skinned man replies.

"I know. Sometimes that's all it takes. I'm sure that Naruto will get over it eventually though. Sasuke will be fine. A broken rib is nothing to sneeze at, but he'll recover." The orange haired pirate says reassuringly and Kisame nods in agreement.

Meanwhile unbeknownst to the Sharingan, Konoha, and Suna crews, Guy had just docked. His new crew had managed to get them to the island. Unfortunately, they had lost ten men in the process. Still most of them were alive and that's what counted.

"Captain, what are your orders?" One of the sailors asks.

"Find shelter immediately. We need to come up with a plan. There are far too many of them to just charge in without one." Guy thunders at his crew.

They quickly head to the forest on the island. The trees would provide at least some cover from the heavy rain. Not much though. They were all miserable, but it was too risky to go back to the ship.

"Damn it, Kakashi. You had better be alive." Guy mutters to himself as he starts cutting down a few trees.

Maybe they could build some temporary huts or something. They would all get sick from exposure, if they didn't find real shelter. He could see caves in the distance and that made their plight even more vexing.

"Captain, wouldn't it be easier to just go to the caves?" One of the men asks.

"It would, but I can see a fire. The pirates have already claimed them. If we aren't ready for battle, we shouldn't head there. Just start working on putting up some huts." He orders and the men nod, quickly getting to work.

None of them wanted to risk his wrath. Guy had quite the reputation. Oh he wasn't a cruel man. Well at least not in the usual way, but everyone knew his favorite punishment was having his men run a hundred laps. No one wanted to do that, especially in this weather.

Guy sighs as he chops down a tree. This was rather depressing. He had never seen the sea more angry. Maybe it was just as upset as he, about Kakashi's kidnapping. Yes, that must be it.

"Captain, we have one hut constructed." Another sailor says about an hour alter.

"Good. The sickest men, should go inside it. The rest of you need to keep at it! The power of youth will overcome even the mightiest of storms!" He exclaims.

The men all look at Guy as if they were afraid that he had gone mad. Maybe he had. They back away from him and his blindingly bright teeth slowly.

"Why does everyone always look at me that way?" He asks with a heavy sigh at their reaction.

Elsewhere Haku and Obito had been forced to dock on a different island. They saw the storm was coming and had wisely decided to stop moving for now. They knew where they were going. There was no rush. It wasn't like the Uchiha brothers were crazy enough to continue on in the middle of a hurricane.

"Thank God that A knew where they were going." Haku mutters as they check in at an Inn.

"Indeed. God only knows what goes on in their heads." Obito mutters in annoyance.

He would find Kakashi. Obito would save his sorry arse. Then he'd probably kill him, himself. Of course, he would revive him. Then he'd beat him. Then they would go out and get many ales together and it would be like old times.

Obito couldn't believe that Kakashi had allowed himself to get captured. That was very not like Kakashi. He sighs and pays for their rooms. Oh well. There was nothing they could do but wait out the storm now.

"You must have loved him greatly." He says to his partner in crime.

"More than anything. I'm going to make those cowards pay for what they did to him. They cut him down like an animal. I don't think they even batted an eye as they took my most precious person from me. Without him, my life has no meaning. At the very least, I can avenge him. Then he can find some peace." The feminine looking man reasons.

The elder man nods sympathetically. He could understand Haku. He had felt the same way when Rin went missing. Unfortunately, he did not even have the closure of knowing whether she was dead or alive. So in a way, Haku was luckier than him.

"I hope that you get your revenge. These people also kidnapped my friend. I say that we both have just cause to make them regret it." He says and offers the other man a smile.

"Yes, I'd say we both do. Soon enough this storm will clear up. When I find them, I'm going to slit all of their throats." Haku mutters as he heads into his room and Obito nods in agreement.

He heads inside his room. Obito was mostly grateful that they hadn't been stuck on the High Seas during this monstrous storm. That was just a quick way to an early grave.

The shipyard owner had some damn fine ships, if he said so himself. He wasn't entirely certain even his could stand against nature's wrath in this instance. He sighs and pours himself a glass of ale.

"Times like these call for a drink." He murmurs to himself as he downs it quickly.

Obito was not a particularly heavy drinker. But he could hold his liquor with the best of them, if the situation called for it. This situation definitely called for it.

Back on the island, Sasuke cuddles up to Naruto some more. This seemed to calm him down. That and if Sasuke was being completely honest with himself, it was nice to be so warm.

"That's somewhat disturbing." Naruto muses.

"Mmm what is?" Sasuke asks his lover in confusion.

"I can hear your brother ravishing Gaara, if I listen closely." The blonde replies honestly and Sasuke sputters.

What?! He had to be joking? He was joking, right? God he hoped so. He'd be traumatized or life, if he overheard his brother having sex with the red head (or anyone really.).

"You're not serious, are you?" Sasuke asks.

"I'm not making it up, my pearl. Listen very closely and you can hear it. The blue eyed pirate insists.

"I don't want to hear it! That's disgusting! I don't want to hear my brother locked in the throws of passion! That's sick." Sasuke says and makes a disgusted face.

Naruto chuckles. Sasuke must be feeling better, if he was so animated. He breathes a sigh of relief at this discovery. Thank goodness. He had almost lost Sasuke. Never again. He'd never place him in harm's way like that again.

"ITACHI!" The Captain of Suna's cries ring throughout the caves.

"GAARA!" The elder Uchiha soon joins his lover in what sounded like one Hell of an orgasm.

Sasuke feels his face heat up. Yes, he was definitely traumatized for life. He definitely did not need to hear that.

He was happy that his brother had found love. Really, he was thrilled for Itachi and Gaara. That didn't mean that he wanted to overhear their lovemaking though!

"Oh Sasuke, don't look so traumatized. They aren't being any louder than we were." Naruto says smugly.

"That's different. That was us. Not my brother." Sasuke insists.

Naruto shakes is head. He smiles and runs his fingers through Sasuke's hair. He was just so relieved that the other man was still alive.

"Well sounds like they are having fun. Yeah?!" Deidara asks with a laugh and Sakura whacks him.

"PERVERT!" She exclaims and Deidara puts his hands over his head to keep from getting smacked again.

Rin and Kakashi blink. Well they were certainly a very lively crew. You had to give them that much. It was a bit disturbing really.

"Hey, Angel. Here's a blanket. Don't want you to get too cold." Suigetsu says as he wraps one around Hinata.

"I'm no angel, but thank you." She says with a smile and snuggles into it for warmth.

Konan shakes her head. She was surrounded by crazy people. Yes, she was. Honestly, she was starting to feel a little overwhelmed.

She loved her comrades as if they were her own blood. But most of the people from the other crews, she didn't know that well. Besides, it was always good to get some alone time and recharge.

"Do you really think that we'll find the treasure?" Temari asks Shikamaru.

"What a drag. This is probably a wild goose chase, but don't tell the Captains that. It'd be wise to especially not tell Naruto. He has his heart set on finding this treasure. Probably even more so now, because his lover got hurt on this ridiculous quest." Her husband replies and yawns.

Temari shakes her head. Shikamaru was so lazy about anything that wasn't related to sex. He was likely going to fall asleep soon. She sighs and curls up against his side.

The blonde woman was grateful that she had him on this trip. She probably would have gone mad otherwise. Just listening to Gaara in the distance with Itachi was well…uncomfortable to put it mildly.

"That's unfortunate." She murmurs.

"Oh and don't be a hypocrite. Gaara has walked in on more than once. He's been rather gracious about it. You should do the same for him." Shikamaru gently chides her.

Temari rubs the back of her head sheepishly. That was true, but this was a little different. They were married. Itachi and Gaara weren't.

"Well he should be gracious about it. We are married, after all. Surely, he has to expect it." The feisty pirate protests.

"Yes, I'm sure that he does expect it. That doesn't mean that it was a pleasant thing for him to walk in on. Be happy for him." He insists.

Temari was very happy for Gaara. She had known for years that her youngest brother carried a torch for the sexy Captain. She was happy that he had finally found true love. Still that didn't mean that she wanted to hear him while he was lost to passion!

"I am happy for him." She says.

"Good. Get some sleep my love. It's a drag, but we'll probably set sail this morning. It'd be a good idea to be well rested. We have a long journey ahead of us, most likely." The genius reasons.

Temari nods. She closes her eyes. She soon drifts off to sleep in her lovers arms.

"So are you okay?" Kiba asks Karin on the other side of the cave.

"I think so. I'm lucky Kisame saved me. I know that Naruto hates him now because of it. I feel guilty." She admits.

"Trust me. I understand completely. Naruto went to save me and didn't realize Sasuke had gone overboard. I'm damn lucky that I'm not a target of his wrath. I know what Naruto can be like when he gets angry." The canine lover admits.

Karin nods. She didn't know Naruto well. She had thought that he was a rather gentle person. That was until she had seen him tear into Kisame. He had been nothing short of savage. It was an experience that she wasn't eager to repeat.

"Yes, I guess we are both rather lucky in that respect. Poor Kisame. Though I'm not sure if there is anything we can do to help him mend fences with the Captain." She states.

Kiba nods in agreement. Naruto was a very loyal person, but he also could hold a grudge. Damn could he hold a grudge. He was surprised that Kisame was still breathing, quite honestly.

"Well come on. Let's get some sleep. I think the storm should die down by the morning and we'll probably be off. Hopefully, we find the treasure. That would be something, wouldn't it?" He asks.

Karin nods in agreement. That would certainly be something. People had been looking for Kurama's treasure for hundreds of years. If they found it, they would all truly be legends.

They would go down in history. A pirate loved only one thing more than treasure. That was becoming famous or infamous. It looked like they were well on their path towards getting both.


	15. Chapter 15

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Hmm still not sure what I'm going to do with the "older generation," but I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Perhaps I'll make up my mind soon.

Chapter 15

At some point, Sasuke must have fallen asleep. He was vaguely aware of the sensation of being moved. Something or someone was carrying him. When he felt the warmth of that "something" and a heartbeat, he knew that it was someone.

Cautiously, he opens his eyes. It was Naruto. Sasuke relaxed once he realized this. Naruto was like a living warship in some ways. Nothing was going to happen to him while the blonde Captain was holding him like this.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. We are heading out. Tenten says she saw fires in the distance. Campfires. We aren't the only ones on this island. No telling if they are friendly or not. So we are getting out of here fast." He explains.

"Oh. Probably a good idea then." Sasuke murmurs and snuggles against Naruto's wonderfully warm chest.

Itachi watches Sasuke and Naruto as he starts herding the other pirates onto their respective ships. If nothing else, he knew that Sasuke would be completely safe with Naruto. The other pirate wouldn't allow one hair to be harmed on his brother's head.

Physically, Sasuke would be fine. Mentally would likely be another story though. He knew exactly what his brother was planning to do. He was going to try to control Naruto by pretending to be more injured than he was. He was going to feign complete submissiveness. That sort of thing would likely drive his brother to insanity before long.

"Yeah. Don't worry about anything. We'll be gone long before they notice." Naruto assures him as he carries Sasuke to their cabin, Bridal Style.

The blonde frowns. Sasuke wasn't even protesting being carried like a woman. His pearl had to be in a lot of pain.

He quickly gets them inside the cabin and gently lays him on he bed. Naruto kisses him and pulls the blanket over his lover. He quickly grabs a bottle of ale and holds it to his lips.

"You should drink. It will dull the pain." Naruto says.

Sasuke normally would have told the blonde to fuck off. He didn't need to be fussed over in this fashion. He'd surely had worse injuries than a broken rib. He was a pirate, not some helpless maiden.

He shakes his head though and sips on the ale. It was better to humor him. Besides, why argue when someone was providing you liquor for free? Yeah. That's what he thought.

"Thanks. Naruto, I'm fine. You should help the rest of the crews. We aren't alone on this island. You're a Captain. The men and women need you. I'll be fine." He tries to assure him.

"Itachi and Gaara can handle it. Are you angry with me?" The blue eyed pirate asks.

Sasuke sighs. He wasn't going to be able to wiggle out of answering that question. Damn. He needed to come up with something good and fast.

"I'm angry that you attacked Kisame. It wasn't his fault. He's our friend, Naruto. You can't seriously blame him for rescuing one of our comrades. He only looked away for a moment. It wasn't like he wanted me to drown. Besides, I'm fine. Healthy as a horse." The younger Uchiha reasons.

Naruto blinks. He couldn't for the life of him understand why Sasuke was defending the other pirate! It was Kisame's fault he had almost been killed.

"I told him to cover you. He didn't. It's a miracle that you are alive. You aren't healthy as a horse. You almost drowned and you have a broken rib." He argues.

Sasuke bit his lower lip. Naruto was going to be really difficult it seemed. Fine. He'd just have to pull his trump card.

"I might have a broken rib, but that doesn't matter. I have you to take care of me. If you insist on staying, come lay with me. Your kisses make me forget the pain." He murmurs at him.

Yes, this called for desperate measures. Sasuke knew that his eyelashes were longer than most men. It was a trait that Itachi both had. While a bit embarrassing, it could be useful.

He lowers his eyelashes and pours on his best bedroom eyes. His ruby red orbs were practically saying, _**"Come ravish me."**_ He knew this was fighting dirty, but he didn't care about that at the moment.

"Always, my pearl. Always." He promises and captures Sasuke's lips in a heated kiss.

Maybe the eyelashes weren't so bad. Sasuke soon found himself moaning into the kiss. He runs his fingers through his blonde's hair. Naruto was soon completely plundering his mouth and caressing his lover's entire body.

Naruto groans into the kiss. He'd never get tired of kissing the other man or slamming into his tight arse. God, he loved him. He loved his utterly infuriating, feisty First Mate. __Half the time he wanted to strangle Sasuke. The other half he wanted to ravish him so thoroughly, that Sasuke wouldn't be able to leave his bed. Ever again.

"I love you." Sasuke whispers once he breaks the kiss.

"I love you too. That's why I'm not going to let anything like that happen to you again." He promises.

Sasuke simply nods his head. He didn't have the heart to point out the reality of the world to him. They were pirates. Odds are he was going to get hurt again. Hell the odds of him hitting thirty, seemed relatively low. Most pirates didn't.

Meanwhile Guy's people were preparing a plan an attack on the pirates. The sailor blinks. Uh oh. No! This couldn't be!

"Their getting ready to leave!" Guy says in a panic.

The sailors look at their Captain nervously. Damn it. None of them were particularly eager to chase after this many pirates, but the money had been good. They had hoped that eventually the pirates would lose them.

"What are your orders, Captain?" One of them inquires.

"Prepare the ship! We are going after them. We can't just leave Kakashi alone to face those dogs!" He exclaims.

Everyone quickly starts preparing their ship. Unfortunately, the Sharingan and Konoha were already taking off. They had a head start. The most that Guy could hope for was that they wouldn't lose sight of the other ship.

This couldn't' be happening. He had to find a way to save Kakashi. Kakashi might be a cutthroat pirate, but he was still his best friend. He wouldn't allow him to be cut down in his youth!

"HURRY MEN! HURRY! WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEM! It looks like the seas have calm. We should be able to keep pace!" The eccentric man calls out.

The men quickly set about their tasks. Preparing a ship to sail was not an easy feat. It couldn't be done instantly. Still they scurried about in determination. All of them knew that letting their strange Captain down wouldn't end well.

Guy assists them. They knew he was a bizarre individual, but no one would fault him for carrying his weight. He was one of the few Captains any of them had ever known that didn't mind getting down and dirty with the crews.

"I never thought that him sailing for the Queen would end up with him getting kidnapped by pirates." He murmurs to himself as he remembered the day that Kakashi told him the Queen had just seen fit to employ his "services."

 _"You're telling me, that you are going to be sailing for the Queen of England?" Guy asks in disbelief._

 _"Yes. She noticed my skills. She's willing to overlook my humble origins, if it means more treasure for the royal coffers. Mei is a very practical woman that way." His friend replied._

 _Guy blinked. Kakashi had just addressed the Queen by only her first name. He could get his tongue cut out for that or at least lashing._

 _"Kakashi, that's wonderful news! But don't be going around calling her just Mei with anyone else in earshot. It'll get you punished." He exclaimed._

 _"The Queen said that I could just call her Mei. I am only following her Majesty's wishes." The CopyCat Pirate replied._

 _Guy couldn't believe it. The Queen wanted the silver haired devil to be that familiar with her. Ah well. The power of youth must clearly be on his side!_

"I should have known that something was up. No Monarch is going to allow a peasant to call them that, without a reason. Now his position as her lover has went and got him in big trouble." He mutters to himself.

Thankfully, the crew was too busy setting sail to hear him. That was the last thing Guy needed. He didn't need them to be starting no rumors! It could end with Kakashi getting beheaded!

Elsewhere Haku and Obito had just left the Inn. The weather had calmed. They had to be off. If they could travel, it was possible the Sharingan could travel. They didn't want to be too far behind them.

If they actually found the lost treasure, then they would be smart to take the loot and leave quickly. Both men understood that they had precious little time to waste. That was why they set sail almost immediately.

"This man is precious to you. It's rare to see a shipyard owner embark on a voyage like this." Haku muses.

"He is very precious to me. One of my dearest friends. I had two childhood friends that I was close to. We were inseparable. He was one of them. I have not heard from the other in years. I assume she is dead. She just went missing one day." Obito replies.

Haku nods sympathetically. He didn't know Obito's exact age, but he could make a good guess. It was likely the man had grown up in an era when child slavery was even more common than it was now. His friend had probably been kidnapped. The mild mannered man doubted that the girl had just gotten lost.

Of course it would be cruel to say that. It would only pour salt into a very old wound. Haku didn't have the heart to say that. Obito was helping him avenge his dead lover. He should treat him with some consideration.

"I am sorry for your loss. So he is just your friend then? This is quite a lot of trouble to put yourself through and he is an attractive man. I would not judge you. The Captain was my lover." Haku assures him.

Obito felt himself twitch. Was the other man implying that he believed that Kakashi and Obito were lovers?! Obito had heard many mad theories in his day, but that had to be the maddest.

"He is not my lover. Nor do I want him to be. I have no interest in Kakahsi in that way. He is my friend and that is all. Women are the only people that I find desirable. I cast no judgment on those that prefer men to warm there beds, but I do not share this inclination!" Obito protests.

"I was merely asking. There is no need to get defensive about it. My apologies. I truly did not intend to offend you." Haku whispers.

Obito felt himself twitch again. He didn't intend to offend him?! By God, he was suggesting that he wanted to bed Kakashi. It was practically blasphemy. Still he cooled his ire. Fighting with Haku was not gong to accomplish his goals.

"I accept your apology. Come. We need to head out. We do not wish to be left behind. I doubt that crew will stay in place for long." He states and Haku nods.

He quickly follows Obito. The younger man still didn't understand why he was so upset. It had only been a question. An innocent question.

They quickly set sail. Obito was confident that he knew where those pirates were heading. They just had to get there before they left. With any luck, Kakashi would be back in England soon. Safe and sound.

He knew that the Queen would be quite happy about that. She might even give them medals. That would be nice. He certainly didn't need any monetary award. His shipyard had made him richer than he had ever dared to imagine he would ever be.

Back on the Sharingan, Gaara leans over the edge of the ship and looks down at the water below. They were sailing now. Thankfully, it looked like they had left their neighbors behind for the moment.

"Beautiful." He murmurs to himself.

One would never imagine that only the day before, the seas had been determined to sink any ship that dared to sail on it. Now the waters were clear and calm. He could see some fish swimming just below the surface and even a dolphin or two.

"Yes, you are." Itachi says with a smile.

Somehow the other pirate had snuck up behind him. Gaara would have been disturbed by this fact, if it had been anyone other than Itachi. The red head prided himself on being aware of his surroundings. Apparently, he hadn't been today.

"You are a flatterer." He whispers and leans back into the elder Uchiha's loving embrace.

Itachi had wrapped his arms around Gaara's waist at some point. The younger Captain didn't mind this though. He liked being held by his lover. It was soothing.

"Mmm I speak only the truth." Itachi says and kisses his cheek.

"Of course you do. Though I should really be cross with you, after what you did." He mutters.

His lover tries his best to look innocent. Gaara merely raises an eyebrow. Itachi Uchiha was many things. Innocent was not one of those things though.

"Why ever should you be vexed with me?" He inquires smoothly, as if he didn't already know the reason.

"It seems like all of the crews overheard our lovemaking in that cave. Everyone has been giving me strange looks." He mutters.

Itachi shrugs. He didn't see the problem. Quite honestly, he was rather pleased with the whole situation himself. Now everyone knew that Gaara belonged to him and ONLY him.

"Well I don't see why that would upset you. Now they merely know that we enjoy each other greatly." The dark haired pirate says smugly.

"Sometimes you are worse than a child." Gaara notes with amusement.

"Would a child kiss you like this?" Itachi inquires and captures his lover's lips with his own in a heated kiss.

Gaara obediently opens his mouth. He knew what was coming and felt a shiver of anticipation at that knowledge. He moans when he felt Itachi thoroughly seduce him with his wonderfully wicked tongue.

Itachi smiles into the kiss. Gaara still tasted so sweet. He loved the way that his lover would moan for him and never resisted his advances.

"A child would most certainly not kiss me like that." The red head whispers after breaking the kiss.

"Mmm I thought as much." His lover agrees.

Kisame watches in amusement. Thankfully, the Captains had seen reason. Kisame was going to travel on the Sharingan instead of Konoha. No one really wanted to risk seeing Naruto explode at the blue skinned man again in a fiery rage.

"Well perhaps if Naruto was getting as much attention as you are, he wouldn't be so homicidal." Kisame muses.

"Oh I'm certain that he and Sasuke are quite enamored of each other. I doubt that the blonde would act that way, if they were not already lovers." Itachi notes with amusement.

"That's true. Kisame, if I were you…I would stay out of Naruto's sight. Just to be on the safe side. He is extremely protective of Sasuke. He wrongly blames you for him almost drowning. It wouldn't take much to unwittingly provoke him." The Captain of Suna warns him.

The giant man sighs and nods. He knew that the brat was right. It was good to see the Sabaku Siblings again though. In a way, the brats were the closest thing to children that he had.

That fact was slightly disturbing because he considered Itachi to almost be a brother. So it felt a little weird to see him in the other Captain's arms. Still he digressed. It wasn't any of his business. He was happy that they had found each other.

"I know. Believe me. I know. The kid has a major temper. I don't know how you put up with him for so long Gaara." He teases.

"I put up with him because he's my best friend. He's loyal and brave. Honest too. Well honest for a pirate." The red head adds as an afterthought.

"Should I be jealous? That was quite a few compliments that you just directed at my brother's lover. Is there something that you wish to tell me?" Itachi asks.

Gaara shakes his head. He wouldn't even think about being unfaithful to Itachi. He had been in love with the man for years. Why would he ever stray?

"Never, my love. Never." He assures him and Itachi smiles, seeming to accept that answer.

"Well it looks like left our friends behind for now. If you two lovebirds want to have some alone time, I can watch the ship." Kisame offers.

"That sounds wonderful. Thank you." Itachi says as he leads his favorite red head off.

Meanwhile things were far from serene on Konoha. Currently the women were chasing after Hidan. The foul mouthed pirate had stolen their undergarments. To say the least, they were not pleased.

"GIVE US BACK OUR UNMENTIONABLES, YOU PERVERT!" Sakura growls at him.

"Oh I don't know. I think most of them were quite pretty. So which one of you was the red lace wearer?" He asks conversationally.

The woman all lunge at him. Suigetsu shakes his head in amusement. He decides to step in and stop his friend from getting killed. He quickly grabs the lingerie and hands it back to the women.

Well he did it quickly, but not too quickly. He as only human after all. Of course he was going to look. Oh Hidan was right. That little red number was quite nice.

"Thank you." Hinata mumbles and quickly grabs that one.

"So red lace? I like it. Maybe you can model it for me sometime, Angel." He says.

SMACK! Konan smacks Suigetsu for that one. Honestly, you would think the man was raised in a barn.

"Show some respect. I doubt Hinata wants to deal with your deviancy!" She thunders at him.

Rin just watches the show. If nothing else, being on this ship was never boring. She knew that it would be a relatively short sail until they reached the island. In the meantime, well she had lots of entertainment to look forward to.

A few weeks later, an island comes into view. Deidara was the first to spot it. The eccentric blonde loved being the one to make the first sighting of land.

"LAND, HO!" He cries out triumphantly.

That woke everyone up. It was still very early in the morning. Only a few pirates were up and about, making sure that the ship was still sailing on course.

"Sasuke, wake up." Naruto calls out gently inside their cabin.

"Mmm?" He replies sleepily as his lover tries to rouse him from his deep slumber.

This was not a fact that Sasuke appreciated by the way. He was having such a good dream too! Why did Naruto have to be annoying and wake him up.

"Deidara spotted land. We found the island. Now we just have to get past the reefs. Time to break out the rowboats." He says.

"Ohhh. Do you really think the treasure is here?" Sasuke asks with childlike wonder.

"I don't know, but we are about to find out! Come on!' Naruto says excitedly.

Sasuke nods. His rib was still tender, but he could walk around without pain now. Naruto was still fussing over him, but not as badly as before.

"Alright. Let's go get that treasure." He says as he heads off.

It was a damn good thing that they had brought the rowboats. Sasuke could see the wicked looking reef just underneath the water's surface. No wonder no one had found Kurama's treasure before. This reef was a man killer.

Thanks to the boats, they were able to make it ashore though. Sasuke sighs in relief. Some of the men had stayed behind to man the ships. The ships just couldn't dock. They'd never get by that reef.

"Remember your promise!" Naruto says cheerfully and Sasuke feels his face heat up at the reminder.

Honestly, Kisame owed him big time. He couldn't believe he had basically agreed to be Naruto's submissive little love slave while the blonde took him against a fucking treasure chest. (Well probably lots of treasure chests, but still.)

"You are such a pervert. Is that all that you ever think about?" Sasuke asks.

"Damn right, I am. Who could blame me though? Have you looked in a mirror recently? In all seriousness though, do you think you are well enough for this?" He asks in concern.

Sasuke felt himself twitch. He was not some weak maiden. He didn't need fussed after that much. He was a fucking pirate. He had certainly fought with far worse injuries than a broken rib. Naruto needed to be reminded of that.

"Yes, I'm sure. I am not a china doll, Naruto!" Sasuke growls at him.

"I know you aren't, but you are as beautiful as one. Besides, you didn't seem to mind taking it easy a few moments ago. You always curl up so sweetly in my arms. Just like a kitten." He muses.

That was it. Sasuke's pride couldn't take it anymore. He lunged at Naruto and tackled him to the ground.

"I am not a fucking kitten. Take that back right now!" He demands.

"Yes, you are. An adorable, cuddly kitten. A very sexy one, if it makes you feel any better." He says laughing.

Naruto blinks. Oh shit! Sasuke had just started throwing punches. Serious ones too. Maybe he had gone a bit too far. The poor man had been cooped up for awhile.

"Pearl, relax. I was only teasing you. I didn't mean anything serious by it. You know that I love you. I know that you are strong. Settle down. You don't want to hurt yourself. You are still recovering from your injury." Naruto protests.

"Sasuke, do you always have to be so dramatic?" Itachi asks in amusement.

He and Gaara had just arrived on the shore. What was the first thing he saw? He saw Sasuke lunging at his lover and now trying to beat the devoted blonde. Honestly, could those two ever do anything without bickering? He bet they fought even during sex.

"This arse just called me a kitten. I was merely proving him wrong." Sasuke says sweetly.

"Uh huh. Well we kinda need his arse, if we are going to haul the treasure back to the ships. Come on. Let's make certain everyone made it safely and begin looking!" Itachi says.

Sasuke nods in agreement. It had taken awhile, but they had finally made it to the island. It was possible that they were all about to become richer than they had ever dreamed and famous! They just had to find that treasure. If it was here, they were going to find it.


	16. Chapter 16

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. The crews will face some obstacles to get to the treasure. I do hope that I haven't made it too easy for them. I also think that I have decided what I want to do with the older generation. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** It was self-defense and the boars didn't suffer. The scene may be difficult to read for some people, so I put up warnings before and afterwards.

Chapter 16

"Uh oh." Sasuke says as he looks towards the forest, a few minutes later.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asks in confusion at his pearl's concern over some mysterious threat.

Itachi blinks. Oh that was not good. Wild boars. Those tusks could tear a man apart. There were a lot of them. It was a whole herd and they were coming right at the pirate crews.

"Sasuke, get back on the ship." Naruto says.

"What? No. I can fight." Sasuke protests the order.

"I'm one of your Captains and I'm telling your sexy arse to get back the ship. You're still recovering. You're in no condition to fight." The blonde snaps at him.

The First Mate gives Naruto a dirty look. He was not going back to the ship. His rib was mostly better. Besides, he couldn't just leave his crew to face a herd of wild fucking boars! He was still a pirate. Sasuke was not a cripple!

"Naruto, I love you. But I'm not going back to that ship." Sasuke insists.

Itachi and Gaara sigh. This wouldn't end well. Neither pirate was going to budge. That and they doubted the boars were going to politely wait for them to finish their "discussion."

 **Warning Boar Battle**

They were proven right, when a boar charged at the bickering couple. Thankfully, Kisame thrusts his sword straight through its skull. Sasuke and Naruto blink. Shit they had almost been gored to death.

"Thanks, Kisame." Sasuke says in shock.

"You're welcome. So brat, are we good? I dropped the ball last time, but I saved his pretty arse this time." Kisame says.

"Yeah. We're good. Wait. What the fuck are you doing looking at his arse?!" Naruto demands.

Sasuke smacks his forehead. Nevermind. If he wanted to bicker with Kisame over jealousy, he'd just take advantage of his distraction. He is soon fighting back to back with Suigetsu.

"Good to see you back in action. You sure that blondie isn't going to throw a fit about this?" His crew member asks.

"Oh he'll throw a fit. I just don't give a fuck. He can deal with it." Sasuke says as he swings his sword at one of the wild boars.

"TAKE THAT!" Jugo says as he sends one of the boars flying with a swift punch.

Rin blinks. The man had to be mad. He wanted to face wild boars with only his bare hands? Did he have some kind of a death wish?

She manages to climb onto one of the trees to avoid being gored to death by a charging beast. On second thought, it didn't really matter. All of them were at least half insane and most of them were borderline lunatics.

"Well these might be useful." She says and starts throwing coconuts at the beasts, knocking them unconscious.

Temari and Shikamaru were fighting side by side. The married pirates were doing their best to deal with the wild animals. Shikamaru was surprisingly good with a sword, when he wasn't being lazy.

"This is such a drag. Remind me again, why we are on this wild goose chase?" He asks his wife.

"Because if we find that treasure, we'll be richer than we could have ever imagined and our Captains wanted to go on said wild goose chase." She snaps as she slams her sword into one of the boars.

Gaara sighs. He flings out some of his daggers, striking a few of the boars. Itachi was a madman with his sword. He was practically a blur. His movements were really that fast.

"On three!" Hinata calls out to Kiba and Karin.

They nod their heads. The boars come charging at the Hyuga woman. Kiba and Karin fire off their muskets. They went down instantly. Unfortunately, neither had many bullets on them. So they knew that this battle wasn't over yet.

"By God, these beasts are fucking impossible." Hidan snarls as he charges straight at some of them with his blade drawn.

Kankuro and Konan were fighting against some boars. Honestly, the Sabaku sibling had always been a little freaked out by the blue haired woman. She was just so stoic.

"DUCK!" She cries out and Kankuro does exactly that as the rest of the crews continue to fight the wild beasts.

Konan drives her sword through the beast's heart. She sighs in relief. It looked like they were slowly starting to win the battle. That's when the sound of a cannon rang out and the rest of the boars ran away.

 **End of Boar Battle**

"That wasn't one of our cannons." Naruto says after hearing a cannon shot ring out.

"Definitely not. We better get moving." Kisame agrees and the pirates all rush into the forest.

Meanwhile Guy's crew had just arrived near the island that the pirates had. There was only one problem. While the pirates had been aware of the wicked reef, his people weren't.

The bottom of their boats were shredded. They only had one chance. They fired off a cannon. Hopefully, a royal vessel would be nearby and help them.

"SWIM MEN! SWIM TOWARDS THE SHORE. IT'S OUR ONLY HOPE!" He thunders out.

The men all try to swim towards the shore. Unfortunately, some really didn't know how to swim. The ones that did were bravely trying to help their drowning comrades or swimming towards the shore as they were instructed to do by their Captain.

Guy couldn't believe it. They had finally found the pirates and they had crashed against a reef. Damn it! Now he was fighting to save the lives of his crew, again.

"Don't worry, Kakashi! I'm coming!" Guy calls out as he drags three of his sailors to the shore.

He kept going back. Guy knew he had to push on. He was able to bring twenty men ashore, before a sailor told him that everyone that could be saved had been. They had lost half of their crew to that damn reef!

"Let's make sure that their deaths were not in vain. CHARGE MEN!" Guy bellows.

"AYE, AYE, CAPTAIN!" They say and the ones that could run or walk stormed the beach with their eccentric Captain.

They had to do it. They've come so far. Guy wasn't going to go back to the Queen of England empty handed. If he couldn't save his best friend and her lover, he knew that he was done for.

He could only hope that somehow Kakashi was alive. The man had more lives than a cat. He had to be alive, right? Surely, he couldn't have already perished.

Meanwhile back in England, Mei mentally counts to a hundred. It was the only way that she could keep from strangling the Spanish King. No matter how much she despised him, she couldn't do it.

"So what do you think, Queen Mei? Should we gather up some ships and launch an assault on these barbarians of the sea?" The King inquires.

What she thought is that she would like to see him buried six feet under. The Spanish ruler made no secret of his contempt for her. Her didn't think that a woman should rule a country alone. That was alright. Most people didn't, but he was especially vexing about the issue.

It was in the little things really. He constantly said things in such a way that she jus knew that he was patronizing her. The fiery Queen wouldn't allow these insults to go unanswered for long though.

"That would be a grand idea. Do you happen to know where any of these pirates are though? It wouldn't make much sense to send out a fleet without a location." she muses.

"Well no, but if they sail long enough…surely, they will come upon the fiends." He replies.

Mei was rather tempted to bang her head against the wall. What a waste of time, money, and manpower. He honestly expected to send two royal fleets to just sail around aimlessly until they happened upon pirates? How stupid was this man?!

"I think it would be a good idea to get a more specific location first. Of course, I would never tell you what to do with your fleet. I just do not believe that my Navy will respond well to such an order." She says.

That should trick him. If he thought that she didn't have the guts to order her men to go on a wild goose chase, then he'd be satisfied. The King could delude himself into thinking that he had a clever plan and was such a bold leader, but she knew the truth. He was weak.

Weak men didn't stay on the throne long. She would eventually find a way to deal with him. Mei just had to find a way to make his death look like an accident. She didn't want to risk angering the Vatican or starting a war.

"Very well, My Lady. Though if you wish, I could speak with them on your behalf. I would not mind helping you. I know that this must all be overwhelming at times." He begins.

Mei felt herself twitch. She knew that she needed to calm her fury. Getting into a verbal spat with him was not advantageous.

"That's not necessary. Besides, I don't think they would take kindly to a foreign Monarch ordering them around. I do hope you understand." She says in a sweet voice.

She hoped that it fooled him. Over the years, Mei had perfected it. Thus far the only man who had ever seen through it was Kakashi. This man was no Kakashi.

"Oh I understand completely. Do not give the matter another thought. A woman such as yourself should have a husband to make these types of taxing decisions and be siring heirs." The Spanish King says.

Speaking of Kakashi, she could only hope that somehow Guy would rescue him. She wasn't a fool. She knew that she would have to dissolve their romance.

Her heart had made her send out a rescue mission. She wouldn't have done that for anyone else. Kakashi was different though.

She was far too fond of him. Mei needed to be strong. England should be her first concern, not her second. The English Queen needed someone who could rule by her side. As much as she adored Kakashi, he was not that man. He was far too wild to ever be content to be constricted by the millions of rules that courtly life required.

"Thank you for your understanding." She says and smiles sweetly at the King.

"Of course. I hope you don't think me too forward but, I don't know how you manage it." He continues.

Mei raises an eyebrow. She didn't know what he was going to say, but she knew that it was going to be incredibly offensive. Still she feigns interest.

"You don't know how I do what, Your Grace?" The busty woman asks.

"You look as beautiful today as the day you were crowned. No worry wrinkles at all have marred your face. It is quite impressive." The King finishes.

Oh yes. She wanted to strangle him. My God, could the man be anymore irritating. Still she cooled her ire. It simply wouldn't due to be accused of murder.

"You are a flatterer, Your Highness. Come. The hour grows late. I am certain that you will wish to retire. Do not hesitate to ask the servants for anything, should you need something." Mei states.

"Of course. You are quite right. Nothing good happens after midnight." He states and heads to his chambers for the rest of the night.

Elsewhere Haku and Obito heard a cannon go off. They blink. They cautiously approach the ship that had given the distress signal. In the distance, they could see that it had partially sunk in fairly shallow waters. That meant it had smashed into a reef.

"Do you think the crews could have possibly survived that?" Haku whispers to Obito.

Obito frowns as he considers the other man's question. Well the shore wasn't that far off. It was possible, if they knew how to swim, they might have been able to make it to shore.

"Depends if they knew how to swim or not. Most sailors don't. Something about going down with the ship. You lot fancy that to be noble. In reality, it is just stupid. Why would you ever make your living on the ocean and high seas, when you don't know how to swim?" He inquires.

"You wouldn't understand. There is honor in going down with your ship. I suppose that is why I'm a Captain and you are a shipyard owner." Haku muses out loud.

The older man merely shrugs. He couldn't really argue with that. He had never had an inclination to become a sailor or a pirate. He loved the sea, but he knew that the sea didn't always love men back.

"Well I suppose the only way to check, would be to get out some rowboats. Let's go ashore. They might need our help and there's a good chance the pirates are there." He observes.

"The pirates are most certainly on that island. I can see their ships and their flags." His new friend ponts out.

Obito rubs the back of his head sheepishly. How on Earth had he missed that? He shakes his head and mentally chides himself for his lack of observational skills. Well no matter. At least now, they knew that they had found the right island.

They were one step closer to rescuing Kakashi. Oh and one step closer to avenging Haku's dead lover. He quickly orders the crew to get out some rowboats and they head towards the shore.

Back in the forest, Naruto pushes Sasuke against a tree. He figured that they were far enough away form the shore now, that the people from the other ship wouldn't be able to sneak up on them.

It was time to give his Pearl a good talking too. Sasuke was far too willing to put himself in danger, especially when he didn't have to. Naruto wasn't going to let him keep doing that.

"Naruto, get the fuck off me. We have to grab the treasure and get out of there before they find us." Sasuke hisses at him.

"No. Sasuke, you were hurt. You still charged into a fight with wild boars. You know that's crazy right? You could have gotten killed. I don't know what I'd do, if I lost you. What would Itachi do? What would the crews do?!" The blonde asks.

Sasuke sighs. He knew that he was going to have to kick his lover's arse. There was really no other way around this. It was touching that Naruto was so concerned for his safety, but he was a pirate. He didn't need to be coddled.

"I was not going to hide on the ship, while our crews were in danger. I might not be a Captain, but I am a First Mate for a reason. Naruto, you can't expect me to just sit around and do nothing while our friends might get killed." He growls at him.

"Sasuke, I admire your loyalty to our crews. But don't do it again. I can't lose you. I almost lost you once. It's not going to happen again. If I have to tie your sexy arse up and hide you away until the danger passes, I will do it." Naruto warns him.

"Fuck you! I'm not helpless. I fell overboard. That could have happened to anyone. I'm not weak!" Sasuke yells at him.

Naruto sighs. He caresses Sasuke's cheek. He wanted to protect his pearl, not piss him off.

"I know you aren't weak, but I am. I can't stand the thought of losing you. Just promise me that you'll be careful. You promised me that once we found the treasure, I could ravish you on the chests. If you die, I can't do that and that would make you a liar." He teases him.

"You are such a pervert. You are lucky that I love you." Sasuke mutters and kisses him.

The blonde pirate quickly kisses back. Well at least that fight had ended. They fought like cats and dogs, but they made love like angels and demons. That was just who they were.

"You two can screw each other's brains out later. For now we have to avoid whoever shot off that cannon and find the treasure!" Itachi snaps at them.

The two lovers break apart. Well at least they had the decency to look embarrassed. Gaara just shakes his head in amusement and kisses Itachi's cheek.

"Try not to be too cross at them. Emotions are running high now. That's all. Come on. Let's get our treasure and get out of here." Gaara says with a smile.

"They need to keep their wits about them, but I suppose your right. GAARA, WATCH YOUR STEP!" Itachi cries out and quickly pulls the red head back as he takes a step further.

It was a good thing that he did. The ground caved underneath Gaara. Apparently a hole had been dug and some grass had been thrown over it to hide it. The hole had to be at least 10 feet deep and there was no way that you were going to be able to climb out of that without a rope.

"Thank you, my love. That wouldn't have been fun." Gaara mutters.

"Well we know one thing. We must be getting closer to the treasure. That was clearly designed to be a boobytrap. Madara must have made them to protect his stolen loot." The elder Uchiha brother muses.

The red head nods. He looks around suddenly on high alert. Who knew what sort of traps, Madara and Kurama had laid out for anyone foolish enough to try to steal their treasure. They might have been dead for hundreds of years, but that didn't mean their traps wouldn't still work.

"Well we defeated an English ship. I think that we can handle some traps." Gaara says with more confidence than he felt.

"I certainly hope so, my love. I certainly hope so." Itachi mutters.

Deidara was looking around excitedly. This was a grand adventure. They were going find the long lost treasure and be rich.

"Don't worry! We'll find all the treasure. We didn't come all this way for nothing." Deidara exclaims cheerfully.

"How bad are our injuries and did we lose anyone while fighting the boars?" Sasuke asks.

Hinata stops to do a brief head count. Hmm they were missing some people. That wasn't good.

"Kakuzu, Zetsu, Baki, and Ino are all missing. That doesn't necessarily mean they are dead though. Maybe we just moved on too fast for them to keep up with their injuries?" The bluenette suggests.

Sasuke nods. He didn't believe it for a moment though. He knew them all. They were pirates. If they were still alive, they would have followed them. Come Hell or high water, they would've followed them.

He didn't want to say that to Hinata though. She seemed an unexpectedly gentle person to be a pirate. Well most of the time she seemed too kind to be a pirate anyway.

"Good to know. We'll double back for them after we find the treasure." He states.

Sasuke shivers slightly when he remembers how quickly and easily she had slit the throats of several men in battle. The moral of the story was do not judge a book by its cover. Naruto kept her around on his crew for a good reason and it wasn't just because of her looks.

Idly, he wondered how many members of their crews actually believed him. How many really thought that their comrades might actually be alive and how many saw through his lie? He couldn't tell. Sasuke knew that the lot of them all had excellent poker faces.

"AHHHHHH! OH MY GOD! IT'S A SKULL!" Sakura scream in horror.

Naruto blinks. He rushes over to Sakura to see what she was talking about. A skull? Why would there be a skull?

He bends down and blinks. Yes, there was a skull peeking out of the sand, just a few feet away from him. Clearly the rest of the body was hidden underneath. Someone had either gotten stuck in quicksand or shoved into it. That wasn't the only thing funny about the skull though.

"That skull is charred. He was burned alive before he sank completely. He's been here for awhile too. Not a hint of skin or hair on him." Kisame observes.

EVERYONE BE CAREFUL, THERE IS QUICK SAND NEARBY. WATCH YOUR STEP!" Itachi roars.

Gaara frowns. Someone had really wanted that man dead. He doubted that the poor son of a bitch had stumbled into quick sand and a fire just happened naturally. Still Kisame was right. That skeleton was old.

Was it possible that this person had tried to steal Kurama's treasure, while the legendary lovers had still been alive? Had his corpse been there all this time?

"What a drag. This means there are probably more traps around here." Shikamaru observes and his wife nods in agreement.

"Don't make me regret this. You are still horribly outnumbered. If you try anything stupid, you can join him in the sand." Itachi says as he frees Kakashi.

He didn't want to do it, but they needed every man and woman they could get. This forest was just filled with dangers. There was also the fact that they might not be the only ones on the island. It was possible that whoever fired off that cannon had already swum to shore.

"See? I knew that you were growing soft on me." Kakashi says smugly as he was released from his chains.

"Kakashi, don't provoke him." Rin warns her childhood friend.

It was a miracle that he was still alive. Why did that man insist on tempting fate? Honestly. Sometimes she half wondered if he did indeed have some kind of a death wish.

"I wasn't provoking him." The silver haired man protests and the assassin just rolls her eyes at his denial because they both knew that was a lie.

"There's a waterfall in the distance. I think I know where he might have hid the treasure." Sasuke says.

Itachi nods in agreement. He knew where Sasuke was going with this. Everyone would expect a cave, but almost no one would have looked behind a waterfall. That's what he and Sasuke would have done, if they wanted to hide a treasure from the rest of the world.

"Alright! Well let's get going. Be careful guys. We don't know what other surprises Madara and Kurama might have left for us! OFF WE GO MEN!" Naruto exclaims.

"AHEM!" Sakura growls at the blonde.

"Oh. Right. OFF WE GO MEN…AND WOMEN!" The Captain of Konoha says and they all head off.

None of them knew what else might lie on this island. Still if someone had been willing to murder another man, that meant they had the right place. They were closer to Kurama's treasure than anyone had been for hundreds of years. Success was well within their grasp.


	17. Chapter 17

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you guys all enjoy this chapter.

 **Viewers' Choice:** In the next chapter there will be a fight scene. Feel free to weigh in on who you would like to die or if you would like everyone to survive. Also you can choose a dramatic battle or one that is fairly short, with a quirky ending.

Chapter 17

The remaining pirates head towards the waterfall. Sasuke and Itachi stop them before they try to walk past the water though. There was a cave behind it. Gaara grabs a tree branch and hurls it into the cave.

The sounds of metal shredding through the branch are heard. A few minutes later, it's ejected. The branch was now reduced to splinters. All of the pirates gulp at this.

"Figures. Madara wasn't going to make it that easy. There's some sort of trap in there. We can get by it though. I mean there has to be a way to do so. Otherwise he never would have gotten to it." Sasuke muses.

"Well I can't argue with the logic. But who is going to want to go in first and test out that theory?" Kakashi asks.

Itachi smirks. He shoves Kakashi through the water. The sounds of the silver haired man's protests are heard and then silence. There was silence for a few agonizing minutes.

"I'M OKAY! You fucking bastard! You could have gotten me killed! Kurama and Madara hooked up a bunch of large axes and swords. They are swinging across the place. If you had shoved me even a little harder, I would have been cut to ribbons!" The CopyCat Pirate snarls from behind the water.

"Pity. I should have shoved him a little bit harder." Itachi muses.

"Itachi." Gaara says warningly and his lover raises his hands in a gesture of surrender.

Alright. Itach knew why Gaara was annoyed. If Kakashi had died, they wouldn't have found out much about what was behind the water. Still he was so fucking annoying.

"Well it's safe for us to at least take a few steps behind the water." Sasuke muses as he follows Kakashi inside.

Naruto wasn't going to leave Sasuke alone with Kakashi. He quickly bounds after his lover. Gaara and Itachi sigh, following. It didn't take long for the other pirates to follow suit.

Gaara blinks. There were hundreds of swords swinging from one side to the other. There were also massive axes doing the same that were bigger than him. They'd be shredded if they even tried it.

"Stand back. I can try to disable the weapons." Tenten says.

"If I know Madara, he probably has another trap set, in case someone tries it. Everyone get down and if you have anything that can cover you, make sure you use it." Temari warns them.

The other pirates all quickly sink to their knees. All the couples try to cover each others and those that were single, either found a buddy or tried to find something to cover themselves with. They were all braced for what was undoubtedly coming.

"Alright. Here goes nothing!" Tenten says as she hurls a giant boomerang at all the weapons.

The chime of the boomerang striking one of the cords, is heard. That was all the warning they had before thousands of needles came out of flying various locations. Obviously, they had been situated in a way that they would be released when a direct attack like that was launched.

"Shit. They were psychotic." Hidan grumbles once the needles finally stop flying.

"AHHHH!" Sasori cries out in agony and Deidara looks at him in confusion.

"What's wrong? It's only a couple needles. We can get them out of you easily. They aren't even that deep. Yeah?" The eccentric blonde asks in confusion.

Sasuke's eyes widen when he saw that the needles were coated in a familiar substance, venom. Most likely sea snake venom. Thankfully, the venom was slightly diluted. It wasn't as strong as it could have been.

Most disturbingly though, venom would have eventually dried off after centuries. Someone had been here and been here fairly recently. Sasuke frowns.

"Deidara, he's been poisoned. Sea snake. Get the antidote out of his pocket and fucking give it to him. BE ON GUARD. WE MIGHT NOT BE ALONE HERE! That venom is somewhat fresh." Sasuke snaps at him.

"That was clever of you. How did you figure it out so quickly?" Itachi asks his younger brother.

The flustered blonde didn't need to be told twice. He quickly gets the antidote and administers it to Sasori. Sasori was their poisons expert and had figured out that you could count snake venom with…snake venom.

"We are on an island. The most logical choice for poison was sea snake venom." Sasuke replies and Itachi nods in agreement.

It didn't make a lick of sense to Deidara. But he knew that the red head knew what he was doing. So he forces the medicine into his mouth.

"Thanks." Sasori mutters.

Itachi sighs and glances at the weapons. Most of them were still going. Though Tenten had disabled the largest of the axes. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Someone will have to stay behind and care for Sasori. Sasori, you can't go on while you are recovering from what amounts to a snake bite." The Sharingan Captain reasons.

"I'll stay with him. Yeah?" Deidara offers.

The elder Uchiha nods his head approvingly at Deidara. That was the spirit. All for one and one for all. Pirates were loyal to their fellow crew members. You had to be, if you were going to survive on the High Seas.

"Good." He says.

"I guess we can throw another shot at the weapons. I mean there's a chance that Madara and Kurama figured the needles and the swinging weapons would do the job. Maybe that's the end of it. If not, at least we know to get down now." Naruto offers.

Gaara nods in agreement. It wasn't like they had any other choice. Everyone gets down as Tenten gets ready to hurl boomerang back at the weapons. Everyone waited with baited breath to see what the result of this one would be.

Meanwhile Guy was counting the survivors of his crew. Their causalities had been heavy, but they hadn't lost the whole crew. That was something. Guy was an eternal optimist. As long as he still had a few good men, they'd find a way to save Kakashi.

"You there. Do you want some help?" Obito calls out once their crew reached the reach.

"Oh thank goodness!" Guy sighs in relief as he rushes over to the other English crew.

He knew that they were English because most of them were wearing English clothes. Fate must be on their side after all. This was surely a good omen.

"How many men are injured and how many can fight?" Haku asks softly.

The Captain looks around and sighs. It was an even split. About half of his remaining men were fit for battle. Half needed medical care. It could have been worse, but overall his crew was in a sorry state.

"I'd say about 20 men can fight. About that many aren't in any condition to march off to any battle." He admits sheepishly.

"Twenty is better than none. We'll have some of our men take your men back to our ship. The one that aren't injured. In exchange for our help, the rest of your crew will help us save Kakashi. Do we have a deal?" Obito asks.

Guy nods his head in agreement. It was more than a fair trade. Quickly, Haku and Obito's crew starts helping the injured men back to their ship. They put them in the rowboats and take them back to their ship.

"Thank you for your kindness. To whom do we owe our gratitude?" The bushy browed Captain inquires.

"I am Obito and this is Captain Haku. You must be Guy?" Obito replies.

Guy blinks. How did this man know who he was? Obito. Obito. That name sounded familiar. He knew that he had heard it somewhere before. But where? Ah ha. Now he remembered. The shipyard owner.

"Do you own one of the largest shipyards in all of Europe?" Guy questions him.

"Aye. That I do. I see my reputation proceeds me. It's a damn good thing that I do. The Queen didn't want to lend us a ship. Haku's lover was killed by these pirates. She didn't trust him to keep a level head. I wanted to rescue my friend and Haku wanted revenge. It's been a fruitful partnership thus far." Obito explains.

The other sailors watch the new crew warily. They were really going to help them? Well they certainly weren't in any condition to reject the aid. Still most of them couldn't help but think their sudden reversal in fortune, might be just a little too good to be true.

Meanwhile back in the Triangle of Death, Tsunade and Jirayia were sitting down for a drink. They were both drunk off their arses. Which meant they were exchanging stories.

Oh it started off innocently enough. Most of their stories were about their time as Sannin. Eventually, the topic drifted back to the pirate crews that had wrecked their tavern and gone after Kurama's treasure.

"Was that Captain Uzumaki that I saw?" Tsunade asks.

"Aye. I believe it was. Quite the interesting tale that one has." Jirayia says as he pours them each another glass.

"Oh really. That sounds like an interesting story. Go on. It's not like we are going to have any customers for awhile." She says with a shrug.

Jirayia chuckles. Yes, word had spread about the fight. They hadn't seen anyone for weeks. Still it didn't matter. They had more then enough treasure to last them ten lifetimes. The taverns were mostly something to do. It passed the time.

"Alright. I'll tell you what I know about the blonde Captain." Her friend says as he sits back and pictures it all in his mind's eye.

 _Naruto was an Irishman. Oh no one would guess it by the look of him and he had long ago lost his accent. But he was Irish were it really counted._

 _His family had been English but moved over there when he was just a babe. There had been a Plague going on when Kushina was pregnant. Naruto was born on Irish soil and that was good enough to consider him an Irishman in Jirayia's eyes anyway._

 _So they poured all their savings into fleeing. When they got there, they became tenants to a Land Lord. They'd grow the crops and give him a portion of their harvest. They didn't own the land, but they cared for it. This was a common practice._

 _Naruto was a boy of 15 summers when his father got called off to war. He just missed being sent off to war himself. If he had been one year older, he probably would have died on a battlefield somewhere. His father, didn't make it home._

 _Naruto and Kushina struggled to maintain their farm. In the end, his mother had died of illness. The young boy knew that he'd never be able to manage the farm on his own. So he had snuck aboard a pirate's ship._

 _Somehow, he was able to convince the Captain to keep him around. Eventually, he took over for the Captain when he passed on. Ever since then, Naruto had been one of the most infamous pirates of the day._

"Kid is lucky that he didn't get thrown overboard." Tsunade muses.

"You're right. Damn lucky, but he didn't really have any other choice. Well that's assuming the rumors are true. You never know what is real, what's exaggerated, and what is outright made up because a pirate wants to craft their reputation to suit their liking." Her friend reasons.

Tsunade couldn't disagree with that. Lord knows she had started her fair share of rumors about herself. Your reputation was everything when you were a pirate. There was just no getting around it.

Being a woman meant that she had to be even more creative, in her tall tales than most men. Fortunately, she had always been gifted with quite an impressive imagination. This was especially true when she was intoxicated. Honestly, she couldn't remember half of the stories that she had made up and made sure reached every tavern possible.

"That's true. Well lets just count our blessings that they haven't come back. Hopefully business will pick up. We are going to run out of old stories to tell each other soon. I doubt there are very many new ones that we have left to tell each other either." Tsunade says.

"That bored of me already? Well I'm sure we could find much more interesting ways to pass the time?" Jirayia replies suggestively.

The busty pirate shakes her head. Some things would never change. Once a pervert, always a pirate. She knew that it was only spoken in jest. At least that is what she thought anyway.

"You are such a deviant. No wonder you own the Isle of Lust." She states in amusement as she finishes her drink.

Back in England, Mei was relieved that for the moment she didn't have to deal with the Spanish King. He was so taxing. Honestly, she didn't have any idea how she was ever going to survive him staying in her home for so long.

"Well at least I know I can get some privacy in the royal baths." She mutters to herself.

Mei sighs. She didn't know what she was going to do. On the bright side, his pride might very well be his downfall. The fool was rather content to babble happily about his Armada.

"Still that does me no good, if I don't have a fleet that can sink his ships." She murmurs.

The Queen couldn't help but wish her lover was here. He was quite clever at coming up with solutions to such things. Kakashi always thought out of the box. That was going to make dissolving their romantic relationship harder. It was the right thing to do though.

"He's too adventurous to be happy at Court long-term and the people would never accept him as their King. It doesn't matter how much wealth he acquires. In their eyes, he will always be a pirate." She muses.

Oh you could marry royalty, without royal blood yourself. Provided you were wealthy or attractive enough to overlook your humble origins. Most of the time. Unless you had a scandalous past. Kakashi most certainly had that in spades.

She didn't know all of the sordid details of his past, but she knew enough. Mei knew enough to realize that the English people would never accept them as their King. It was a pity, but it was also reality.

"I'll have to begin looking for a suitable match." She mutters in annoyance.

She didn't like the thought of a marriage. As soon as she wed, she'd lose most of her political power. At most she'd be a figurehead, unless her husband happened to agree with her.

It was just a fact of life. Truly, it was amazing that she had managed to rule as long as she had without the Vatican intervening. She knew damn well that they had it out for her.

"They might not detest me personally. But the fact that I'm a woman sitting on the throne without at husband, upsets them." She mutters in disgust.

There were very few things that Queen Mei could truly say that she feared. Upsetting the Vatican was one of them. You would have to be a fool not to fear them or the Spanish King's fleet. Mei was not a fool.

That was why she knew that she had to dance a very delicate dance. One that looked just submissive enough to keep them satisfied, but not so submissive that it would provoke them to take advantage of you. Provoking either party right now would likely be fatal.

"And I would rather die of my bed in old age than by an assassin's blade." She whispers to herself and sighs as she looks at the window at the night sky.

It was a beautiful night. She could only hope that the seas were fair and that Guy would be successful. At least that way, she would know Kakashi was still alive. He would bounce back. She knew he would. He always did.

Kakashi was like a cat in a lot of ways. He always landed on his fleet and seemed to have nine lives. By all logic, he should have been dead at least ten times over by now. Yet, her silver haired lover had continued to survive despite the deck being stacked against him. Time and time again, he pulled off miracles. She could only hope that his luck wouldn't run out this time.

 **Warning Another Boar Battle**

Back on the island, Guy and Haku's crews head further onto the beach. They blink. It was a gruesome sight. There were dozens of wild boar carcasses thrown around. Fresh kills.

"Men, be careful. Whoever killed those boars is likely still around and we don't know if all the boars are dead." Guy calls out.

That was the only warning they got, before a handful of boars charged at the crew. Obito managed to kill one, but not before one of them gored a sailor. Guy cries out in horror and fiercely avenges his comrade by killing the man slaying beast!

Fortunately, luck was mostly on their side. They didn't have face nearly as many boars as the pirates had. Haku slams his sword into the heart of one of the massive animals, killing it instantly.

He pulls his sword out. It was stained red with blood. He quickly wipes it off on the sand. While he was doing that, the final beast charged at him. Thankfully, a sailor was able to save Haku by smashing his sword against the boar's skull, killing it instantly.

 **End of Boar Battle**

"We are barely on this God forsaken island and it's already trying to kill us." Obito mutters in disgust after they defeat the boars and head off.

They head into the forest. A few men start screaming for help. Haku blinks. He looks around only to discover they'd gotten caught in quicksand. Damn it.

"Obito, get a branch! We are going to need to pull them out." He says.

Obito quickly grabs a long tree branch and they begin the long process of slowly pulling them out. It took all their strength to do it. In the end, they managed to save two men, but lose the third.

"Damn it. Well where would Madara hide his treasure? More specifically, where would a bunch of pirates think that he hid his treasure?" Guy asks.

Obito pauses and frowns. That was a good question. The island was only so big. They'd eventually run into the pirates. But this place was a death trap, the sooner they found the pirates, the better.

"Caves would be too obvious. The next logical choice is waterfall." He states.

"ALRIGHT MEN! LET'S GO TO THE WATERFALL!" Guy says and they charge off.

It didn't take long for them to find the waterfall. Unlike the pirates, they didn't test first. Obito, Haku, and Guy cautiously step behind the water. Their eyes widen. They saw lots of pirates and lots of weapons swinging, but it wasn't the pirates wielding them.

"Obito?! Guy?!" Kakashi calls out in disbelief.

"Kakashi! You're alive! Thank goodness! I see the power of youth hasn't left you!" Guy says as he rushes to embrace his friend.

"I didn't know he liked men. Did you?" Gaara whispers to Itachi.

"Me neither. Perhaps he likes men and women or he just pretends to like women to gain the Queen's favor?" The elder Uchiha brother suggests.

The red head nods. Well that was certainly possible. That theory made more sense than any of the ones that he was currently thinking up.

"Obito?!" Rin gasps as she sees her long lost childhood friend.

She couldn't believe it. Obito and Kakashi were both alive. This had to be some kind of miracle. Idly, the assassin wondered if she was merely dreaming or if this was actually happening.

Rin pinches herself. She winces. Owe. That hurt. Yes, this was real. She races over and hugs her two friends tightly. She still couldn't believe it.

"Rin! Kakashi! You're both alright!" Obito exclaims.

"Well as alright as one can be when they are kidnapped by other pirates. But I suppose it's really all relative." Kakashi muses.

Obito swings Rin around happily. He blinks at the silver haired man. If Kakashi was kidnapped, why wasn't he tied up? What on Earth was going on here?

"I thought you were kidnapped, yet you walk like a free man. I confess myself rather confused at this contradiction. It's one that I'm grateful for, but it is confusing nonetheless." He says.

Kakashi nods. Yes, he could certainly understand why Obito was confused. He sighs. It was a very long story.

"We were attacked by wild boars. They needed every man that they could to fight them." He explains.

"AHEM!" The women all snap at him and Kakashi rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

"And every woman." He adds and this seems to pacify the female pirates (and assassin.)

Rin blinks. Maybe they could all slip off. They could be free. She didn't care about at treasure, that she didn't know if it was still there. They could escape with their friends.

"Well that's all very touching, but we have a treasure to find. So either you are helping us or you are getting the fuck out of our way." Kisame says with a smile.

Haku takes a step back from Kisame. He had never met a man like him in all his life. He was convinced that the giant blue skinned man must actually be some kind of demon.

"Don't worry about Kisame. He might look intimidating, but he's no more vicious than any other pirate." Konan reassures Haku.

The young Captain wasn't entirely certain that he believed her. It didn't matter though. He was here to avenge his Captain!

"We'll make this simple, you can help us or you can die. I'm sure that your Queen will forgive our transgressions, if you give her enough treasure." Sasuke says.

Haku felt himself twitch. It wasn't about money! They had killed his lover. They were all going to pay.

"It's not about the money! You shot down my lover in cold blood! All of you deserve to die!" Haku yells at him.

Sasuke sighs. He couldn't help but feel a stab of pity for the man. He would be a wreck if he lost Naruto. Still if the feminine looking man thought for one minute that he was going to go down easily, he had another thing coming.

"Unless you wish to join him, I suggest you stop threatening my lover." Naruto hisses at Haku.

Haku braces himself. Odds are he was going to die in this fight, but he would go down fighting. It looked like the blonde pirate wanted to be the first to face him. Fine by him.

"Haku, don't. Don't throw your life away. He wouldn't want you to end your life like this." Obito says and tries to reason with him.

"Honestly, we just want our treasure. We'd rather not have to kill you all. But if you insist on being annoying insects, then I'm afraid we will have no choice." Itachi says.

Everyone froze. There were a fair number of men in Haku and Obito's crews. The pirates had them outnumbered, but everyone knew the truth. If a fight broke out in close quarters like these, it was going to be a bloodbath.


	18. Chapter 18

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. There are lots of surprises in store in the next one.

 **Chapter Warning:** Minor character death. It's very graphic. I put up a warning. If you are squeamish, skip it. A lot of people wanted to see a dark Naruto. Well you got him ;).

 **Happy Halloween (Almost):** I'm close to wrapping up a few stories. So if you are interested, be on the look out for new stories. I just posted **Masquerade.** It's my Halloween themed story and Madara is going to be one of the main characters in it. Warning it's pretty exotic. So it may not be for everyone.

Chapter 18

Haku was clearly half mad with rage as he lunges towards Naruto. The blonde manages to dodge. Sasuke shivers when he hears his lover release an animalistic growl at the other man.

Naruto unsheathes his sword as two sides of his personality waged a war with each other. The rational and instinctive side of his mind were clashing. It made him feel almost dizzy. It was just like that time all those years ago, when the blonde Captain had first lost control.

 _"How does it feel to know you are both going to hang, you filthy scum? You actually thought that you could steal from the King of Portugal's ships and get away from it?! You aren't just scum. You're stupid scum." One of the guards taunted them._

 _Naruto was inside a dungeon. He wasn't the only one. There were many pirates inside the dungeon. They had been caught on a raid. Currently, he was chained to a wall and there was a red headed pirate next to him._

 _The young Captain had lost track of time. He was fairly certain that he had been inside that jail for at least a month. He had seen the moon go through an entire cycle. It had been the worst month of his life._

 _"I'm talking to you, demon." The guard screamed at the red head and punched him in the stomach._

 _For a month, they had all been left here to rot. Rarely were they fed or given water. Just enough to keep them alive. He was certain that he had probably lost at last ten pounds, maybe more. The others weren't in much better shape._

 _Everyday, the guards would taunt them. They would tell them that they were all going to be hung the next day. Sometimes they would beat them. Naruto was damn lucky. He was a fast healer, but he knew that if he wasn't… he would have been covered in scars._

 _"I know. I just don't make it a habit to talk to insects, no matter how annoying they may be." The Captain of Suna replied._

 _The fact that he didn't scar easily, just seemed to enrage their jailers further. The Captain was one of their favorite targets because of that. It was a rare day when Naruto wasn't beaten._

 _The only comfort that they had was the fact that the women aboard their crews, had managed to escape. God only knows what would have happened to them, if they hadn't._

 _"You filthy dog! You are going to learn to respect your betters!" The guard seethed as he punched Gaara hard enough in the nose to break it._

 _Blood poured form the injury and reminded Naruto that he wasn't the only favorite target. The red head was another Captain. That alone probably would have sealed his fate, but Gaara didn't help his case by sassing their jailers._

 _The blonde had never met Gaara before they were all captured. Still had couldn't help but admire his spirit. The feisty pirate never gave up._

 _"His betters? He's not the man who is hitting another that can't hit back. Takes all the sportsmanship out of it, doesn't it?" Naruto seethed._

 _"You just don't know when to shut your fucking mouth, do you?!" The guard demanded._

 _"I guess not." Naruto replied with a smirk._

 _That's when he heard an explosion. The door was blown open and he saw some of his female crew members. They were standing next to some other pirates that he figured were from Suna._

 _The women rushed inside and quickly rushed to free their comrades. Once Naruto was free, he didn't know what happened. He just blacked out._

 _When he snapped out of it, he saw the body of guards littering the floor of the prison. Well what was left of them. Which wasn't much. There was blood splattered all over the walls and clearly he had at some point started dismembering them. (In some cases, that was actual castration.)_

 _"What happened?" He asked in horror._

 _"I don't know. You were like a man possessed. I've never seen such savagery in all my life." Gaara answered him._

 _"Oh. Well I'm Naruto. Let's get out of here?" The blonde asked as he tried not to throw up at the gruesome scene._

 _Gaara nods. He gestured towards the door that had been blown off thanks to the efforts of their crew members. Naruto quickly followed the other pirates to freedom._

 _"I'm Gaara." The red head said._

 _It was strange. They had been prisoners together for over a month. Yet, they had never learned each other's names. The guards seemed to go out of their way to dehumanize them. That included not saying their names and neither had been in the mood to exchange pleasantries before._

 _"Nice to meet you." Naruto said._

 _He didn't know it at the time, but Gaara would eventually become his best friend. That also wouldn't be the last time that he would black out. Sometimes, he just couldn't control it. That was why Naruto tried his best to stay calm. He didn't want to lose it again and become a savage._

Now wasn't one of those times though. He wasn't going to let this heartbroken fool hurt his Pearl or any of his comrades. Haku was going to die. It was as simple as that.

"Rin, pigeon." Kakashi whispers to her.

The assassin blinks and nods. When they were children, they had come up with a code. It was rather elaborate, but pigeon meant an escape plan. She gives the signal to Obito and Obito whispers something to Guy.

"You should have just mourned your lover and left it at that. I'm sorry for your loss, but you aren't going to take him from me." Naruto snarled at Haku in a way that sounded far more like a wild animal than man.

Sasuke felt his blood run cold. He had never heard a person make a sound like that before. It was terrifying and he wasn't even the person who it was directed at.

Naruto charged at Haku. Everyone could only watch in horror as the two men clashed. Haku was a good swordsmen, but Naruto was an animal. The Captain was moving at an almost inhumane speed and practically a blur.

"Naruto, you don't need to kill the idiot!" Sasuke calls out.

"It's too late. Naruto has lost it. This happens sometimes. There's nothing that anyone can do, but get out of the way." Gaara warns him.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. What the fuck was Gaara talking about? Was he saying that Naruto was possessed or something.

"It happens sometimes. When he gets angry, he goes into a rage. A savage rage. He doesn't know what he's doing, not really. He'll snap out of it of his own accord. It's just hard to tell when." The red head clarifies.

The younger Uchiha blinks. Now he understood why Itachi was so worried about him earlier. He never knew that his lover was capable of such brutality. (Well most pirates could be brutal, but this was…madness.)

"DIE!" Haku calls out desperately as he swings his sword desperately.

 **Warning Minor Character Death**

"You're the only one who is going to die here." Naruto hisses at him.

The Konoha Captain slashes his sword across Haku's neck. Blood gushed from the severed artery and the other falls to the ground.

"Zabuza, I'm sorr-y." Haku groans out as he tries desperately not to choke on his own blood.

He was losing so much blood though. There was now a large pool of it surrounding him. Still he died with a smile on his face.

No one knew why, except for the dying man. Haku could have sworn he saw Zabuza reach for him as he slowly faded from this life. He was convinced that he was reunited with his lover and thus died a happy man.

Naruto didn't stop there though. His rage was too great. To make sure that Haku was dead he swings his sword at the other man and separates his head from his neck with one strike. Haku's head rolls grotesquely on the cave floor.

 **End of Minor Character Death Scene.**

Kakashi, Guy, Rin, and Obito were horrified at what they saw. During the chaos, the four of them managed to slip off. Guy tries to grab his other crew members, but Rin wasn't having any of that. She drags his ass behind her as they slip off.

"But we have to save them!" Guy says.

"They might not kill them. If your men are smart, they will help the pirates seek their treasure. Besides, would you rather live without them or die with them?" Kakashi demands of his friend.

Guy sighs. He didn't want to abandon his crew, but Kakashi has a point. He nods his head in agreement and races off with them.

"Where is your ship?" Rin asks Obito and Guy.

"We'll show you. We can get in one of the rowboats and get there. We still have injured crew members aboard. So it won't be just us. I don't know how much help they will be in their current condition though." Guy explains.

Rin nods. It didn't matter. They just needed to get the fuck away from these crazy people. She was an assassin, but she would never forget how Naruto had killed Haku as long as she lived.

The woman knew that she was going to have nightmares about that for the rest of her life. The absolute savagery wasn't something that was easily forgotten. She had no idea how she had managed not to vomit at the sight of the carnage.

"Lead the way." Kakashi says.

Obito and Guy nods. They rush out from behind the waterfall, through the forest, and to the beach. They all quickly get on a rowboat and row towards the ship. The crew cheers when they saw their Captain returning.

Once on the boat, Guy quickly goes to steer the ship. Rin looks around curiously. Well it was a nice ship. It could get them out of here anyway.

"Did you defeat the pirates?" One of the men asks.

"No, but we rescued Kakashi. That was our prime objective." Obito explains.

The sailor nods. He looks around in confusion. Where was Haku? Haku should be with them.

"Where is Captain Haku?" He asks in confusion.

"I'm afraid that he fell in battle. He died honorably. He died fighting. We should all be so lucky. Now if we do not wish to join him, we simply must be going as quickly as possible." Kakashi explains and the ship begins to set sail.

He looks back at the island and sighs. It was too bad about Haku. He could understand wanting to avenge your lover, but the man had been insane. The kid actually thought that he could defeat that many pirates?

Obito sighs. He felt guilty. Haku would never have managed to find a ship to go after the pirates, if it wasn't for him. Even if he did, he wouldn't have found them. The young Captain would still be alive. That kid's blood was on his hands.

"I know that look. You mustn't blame yourself. You tried to stop him. This is not your fault." Rin tries to reassure her firend.

"I know that I tried to stop him, but I'm the one who gave him a ship. Without me, he never would have gotten here. Haku would still be alive. That and I am a horrible person. I still feel relieved. I'm relieved that I managed to get you and Kakashi out of there." He replies.

Rin tilts her head to the side. How did that make him a horrible person? It was only natural to be relieved when you found out your friends were safe.

"What do you mean? It's only natural for you to be happy that we are alive. We are friends. That's normal. That doesn't make you a horrible person." The assassin asks.

"I'm a horrible person because if I knew what I knew now, I would still help him. I'd trade his life for yours and Kakashi's in an instant. That makes me very selfish. He was barely more than a kid." Her friend answers.

Rin sighs. She wraps her arms around Obito. It was hard to see him like this. It was difficult to realize that he now carried the weight of the young man's death on his shoulders. Why? Because he had wanted to save Kakashi and her.

"If you don't stop blaming yourself, I will kick your arse." She warns him.

"Where did that sweet, shy girl go that I knew as a boy? I don't believe I've ever heard you speak that way to anyone before." He muses.

"Oh that sweet, shy girl had to change to survive. You simply must tell me what you have been doing all these years, besides chasing after pirates and rescuing us." The brunette insists.

Obito sighs. Now that was a very long story. He wondered what Rin would think when she found out that he had been living as a recluse for so many years. Would she be disappointed in him?

"That's a very long tale. If you want me to tell it, I'm going to need some ale." He informs her.

"Oh I'm sure that we can find some ale." Kakashi says and winks as they look around the ship for the ale. (It didn't take long to find it because pirates and sailors both loved to drink!)

Meanwhile back in the cave, Sasuke watches Naruto cautiously. Haku was dead, but that didn't mean that Naruto was safe to approach. He could see that his comrades had the same thought.

"Naruto?" He calls out softly?

Gaara grabs Itachi's arm. He had stopped breathing the second that Sasuke called out his friend's name. There was no stopping Naruto when he got like this. Sasuke might have just sealed his fate.

Itachi places his hand on his red head's. He watches anxiously. If Naruto attacked his brother, he was going to step in. Whether or not he would be able to stop the blonde was another matter. That didn't matter though.

Sasuke was his brother. The elder Uchiha would do everything that he could to protect him. Even if that meant that they would die together, he wouldn't stand idly by and watch his First Mate die by his lover's hand.

Naruto grabs Sasuke. Itachi was about to rush over to defend his brother, when he saw that the other Captain was kissing Sasuke. It was with a bruising passion, but it was still just a kiss.

"Mmpf!" Sasuke calls out in surprise and returns the kiss.

He mentally sighs in relief and wraps his arms around his lover's neck. He wasn't sure what the fuck had just happened, but his lovable idiot was still in there. Sasuke just had to help him snap out of it. That was all.

Gaara lets out the breath he was holding. Thank goodness. Naruto was calming down. Maybe they would all get out of this alive after all. (Well except for Haku.)

"Remember your promise." Naruto whispers to Sasuke.

"I remember. I always keep my promises. Try not to go mad again." Sasuke replies with a smile.

Tenten cautiously looks around. Well it looked like Naruto was calm for now. She cautiously moves closer to the weapons.

"Well I guess we can continue then. Everyone duck and cover. We don't know if they have more traps hidden." Tenten says and everyone quickly crouches low.

The brunette hurls her boomerang again. This time a hailstorm worth of arrows is released. Ino cries out in pain as one goes through her arm. Thankfully, she appeared to be the only injury and more of the swords stopped swinging.

"Each time a trap is set off, more weapons stop. This is a system. They probably figured that the reef, pigs, quick sand, and all these weapons would destroy anyone who came looking for the treasure." Gaara observes.

"It's a logical theory. Though it doesn't help us. We don't know how many lawyers of this defense there really are. Every time we attack, we risk losing more of our people." Itachi counters.

Konan frowns. This was not good. It was essentially a rather high stakes game of chicken. Whoever had come up with all of these traps was quite clever.

"I think I saw a fucking shadow in the distance. We definitely aren't alone." Hidan calls out.

Immediately everyone tensed up. Hidan might have lacked manners, but he had good eyes. If he said he saw a shadow, he probably had. He also wasn't someone who spooked easily. It wasn't likely that he had just imagined it.

"Again, Tenten." Sasuke calls out.

The feisty pirate does as the First Mate asks. Everyone gets down and she sends her weapon sailing again. This time a loud boom goes off as all the weapons fall in a section of the cave, revealing that the floor had been hallowed. There as was now a giant hole between them and the next section of a cave. A scroll falls from the top of the cave near Naruto's head.

"What's it say?!" Sakura asks nervously.

 **Dear Treasure Seeker,**

 **If you have made it this far you must be a rather determined or greedy fuck. Maybe both. You've made it beyond the reef, the boars, the quick sand, discovered the fact that we hid the treasure behind a waterfall, and through several rounds of traps.**

 **But can you get beyond the hole to the other side? It's for you to decide. If you fall, no one will remember you at all. You'll be torn to ribbons. If you succeed, you will be richer than you have ever dreamed.**

 **Madara and Kurama.**

 **PS: If you do decide to attempt it, good luck. You are going to need it.**

The blonde blinks as he reads it out loud to everyone. That could mean only one thing. If they could get to the other side, the treasure was theirs.

There was only one problem. That gap was at least ten feet. Sasuke blinks as he looks at the other side. There was a ladder.

"Someone's going to have to jump and get to the ladder. Then they can slide it over to us and we can walk across." Kisame says.

"Are you fucking crazy? Who can jump that far? No one is going to be able to make it. Look down below. It's filled with spikes on the bottom. If they miss, they are going to be impaled." Suigetsu yells at him.

"I can do it." Hinata says.

Everyone looks at the bluenette as if she had just said she was suicidal. Yes, Hinata was flexible. But could she really make a jump that far?

"Hinata, don't even think about it. You are not that insane. Didn't you hear what I just said? If you don't make it, you are going to get killed." The white haired man snaps at her.

"Oh I heard what you said, but I'm a pirate. I'm not a pampered noblewoman. I don't follow orders form anyone who isn't a Captain or a First Mate." She says softly.

Itachi, Gaara, Sasuke, and Naruto all look at each other. None of them was eager to admit it, but Hinata was likely their best chance. They sigh and nod their consent.

"You've all lost your mind." Suigetsu growls and kisses rather passionately Hinata.

Hinata smiles and kisses back. Well at least if she died now, she would have a very happy memory to take to her grave. She backs up towards the edge of the cave and then runs. She runs faster than she ever had in her life and does a flip.

Everyone watches with baited breath as the petite woman goes flying. Faster and faster she spun around. The Hyuga woman was kicking her legs ferociously to try to stay air boar. She leans on the edge. Her fingers were gripping the ledge. If she slipped or couldn't pull herself up, she was going to fall to her death. A very gruesome death.

"Come on, Hinata! You can do it!" Temari cries out.

Shikamaru watches with his wife warily. Hinata was a nice woman. Well as nice as a pirate woman could be anyway. He hoped that she didn't perish.

Hinata was trying desperately to pull herself up. She was so close. She couldn't let the crews down. She wasn't going to die today.

"Whatever you do, don't look down! Yeah?!" Deidara calls out.

"DEIDARA, SHUT UP!" Everyone snaps at him and Hinata makes the mistake of looking down.

She gulps. Those spikes were rather vicious looking. Her hands start to shake, but she manages to keep a firm enough grip, that she doesn't fall.

Suigetsu smacks the Hell out of Deidara. He deserved it! You don't tell someone not to look down. That made them look down. If Hinata died because of his loud mouth, he was going to kill the other pirate!

"Hinata, you can do it!" Naruto calls out.

"Owe!" Deidara hisses at Suigetsu and glares at the other man.

"You deserved that and worse. What the fuck where you thinking, telling her that?!" The violet eyed man demands.

Kisame watches as the bluenette slowly pulled herself up. It took several agonizing minutes, but she made it. He lets out an excited cry when he sees Hinata was on the other side.

"EVERYONE! LOOK! She made it!" The blue skinned man calls out.

Suddenly a chorus of cheers is heard. The young woman smiles. She pants and slowly pushes the ladder across the gap. Hinata gestures for them to walk the plank. Well walk the ladder in this case.

"I think this is the only time that walking the plank is ever going to be a good thing. You go first, my pearl. I'll be right behind you." Naruto says to his lover and Sasuke nods.

Sasuke takes a deep breath and slowly starts walking across the ladder. He just prayed that it was sturdier than it looks. Who knew how long it had been laying there? It might be brittle and snap underneath him.

He could feel Naruto's eyes behind him. He takes several more painfully slow steps before he makes it across. He lets out the breath he was holding when he and Naruto join Hinata.

"Alright. It's safe to cross. But go slow." Sasuke calls out.

The pirates now. They made the sailors go next. They had surrendered after they saw what Naruto was capable of.

The pirates knew that they couldn't let them escape. After all, the sailors would just take their ships. No, they were going to force them to go along or be killed. Wisely, the sailors don't put up any resistance. Shortly, there after the pirates follow.

It took about an hour for everyone to get to the other side, but they all made it. Truly, it was as miracle. They had all survived the walk and were now closer than ever to Kurama's treasure.


	19. Chapter 19

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. So what I learned was everyone _**REALLY**_ wants that treasure chest lemon. Don't worry, it will happen. Maybe in this chapter or in another one, but the treasure chest lemon will be included. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 19

"Everyone be careful. There is clearly someone else on this side and we don't know if they are friendly. Though it's likely they were responsible for our _warm welcome."_ Gaara warns them.

Itachi nods in agreement. Well Hidan had only seen one shadow. So they likely outnumbered their host (or hosts.) That was a definite advantage.

The crews all head on cautiously. Naruto had his arm wrapped around Sasuke's waist protectively. Itachi and Gaara were holding hands. The other couples were making similar affectionate gestures. Those who didn't have a lover, were mostly sticking close to their closest friend. No one wanted to be alone for whatever was about to happen next.

Sasuke blinks. He saw a light at the end of the cave. He cautiously heads towards it, urging everyone to follow him and Naruto.

"Sasuke, what is it?" Naruto asks.

"I see a light. I think there's something on the other side of the cave. That might be where the treasure is or where our host ran off to." Sasuke mutters.

"Or both. We could be walking straight into an ambush." Kisame adds "helpfully."

Konan gives Kisame a dirty look. She was not going to tolerate it. Nope, not for one moment was she going to put up with comments like that. She smacks him upside the head.

"You idiot. Don't you be jinxing us!" The blue haired pirate warns him.

"Owe! Alright. Sheesh. Are all female pirates mad? I swear the entire lot of you are insane." He snaps at her.

That earned him several dirty looks. Sasori just shakes his head. He was feeling better now that he had the antidote. Kisame was practically begging for a rather sound beating.

He had seen these women in action. They could hold their own against any man. Sasori would be the first to admit that he had been rather skeptical about the idea of having so many women aboard their ship, but he couldn't argue with the results.

"Their going to beat you bloody for that one and you kinda deserve it." Kankuro says.

"I take it back! I take it back! Hey, put those swords down. I was just pulling all your legs. I was just having some fun. No need to get your panties in a bunch." The blue skinned man pleads.

Sasuke just shakes his head. Kisame really was not gifted in the art of calming women down. Luckily for him, Itachi was.

"Ladies, please. Forgive my friend's lack of manners. He didn't mean any harm. Besides, we have a treasure to find. Isn't that more important than giving him a sound thrashing?" Itachi inquires.

"I don't know. We could give him a sound thrashing and then find the treasure." Sakura muses.

Kisame gulps. Naruto shakes his head. It was funny to see the other Captain look so terrified, but they had more important things to do.

"You can beat him after we've got the treasure. Besides, if you beat him up too much, he won't be of any use." The blonde points out.

The girls sigh and nod their head in acceptance. The group continues on. Sasuke leads the way. The back of the cave was completely open. He steps through the opening and gasps.

He stares around in awe. It was beautiful here. It was an explosion of colors with all the flowers. There was several rather handsome treehouses and overgrown fields as far as the eye could see. At one time, someone must have actually been tending the land.

He quickly shuts his eyes when he looks down. He was almost blinded by all the gold, silver, gems, and fine crystal. There were literally mountains of treasure almost everywhere you looked.

"This has got to be a trap. It's too easy." Shikamaru observes once he makes it through the opening.

Itachi was inclined to agree. There was still the mysterious stranger to consider. He or she had to be around here somewhere.

"Gaara, throw a pebble at some of the treasure. It might be booby trapped." Itachi instructs.

The red head nods. He gestures for everyone take cover and then tosses the pebble. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when no explosion happened.

"Well that's good. No explosion. Still where is our friend?" Ino asks suspiciously as she looks all around for their host.

That was the question on all their minds. They knew that they weren't alone. There was another person around here. They just had to find him or her. Preferably before their host found them.

"Whoa come look at this! This thing is huge. Someone help me get it open." Kiba calls out.

Sasuke and Naruto approach the canine lover cautiously. Indeed that chest was massive. It was probably around ten feet long and five feet across. Sasuke unsheathes his blade and smashes it against the ancient lock, it comes flying open.

They gasp at what they saw. Two skeletons that were holding hands. The smaller skeleton had his head resting against the other's chest. There was a note on top of them.

"You do it, Naruto!" Kiba says.

"What?! Why me?! Why do I have to reach inside the creepy treasure coffin?!" The blonde demands.

"Well you are Captain." Kiba reasons.

Naruto blinks. Well that was a good point. Still he wasn't the only Captain. Maybe Itachi or Gaara would be willing to do this morbid task. Oh and so was Kisame!

"Itachi, Gaara? Kisame? A little help?" The blue eyed Captain calls out to the other three men.

The second pair of lovers strides over and Kisame soon follows them. They stare down at the coffin chest stunned. Whatever they had been expecting, this clearly hadn't been it.

"Let me guess, you are too squeamish to grab the note?" Itachi asks in amusement.

"Yeah! I mean they are dead! What if it's cursed or something?" The blonde demands.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Oh NOW Naruto was cautious? He was the one that sent them on this mad quest ion the first place! Unbelievable.

"You are a big baby. They are dead. What do you think they are going to jump up and grab you?" Sasuke scoffs as he reaches down and grabs the note.

"Sasuke! Wait! That might be cursed or something! You really shouldn't mess with it! You don't know what will happen!" His lover exclaims.

His lover merely shakes his head and reads the note. Sasuke decides it was probably best to read it out loud. Soon everyone was listening with baited breath as the First Mate read the note that the two dead men had left for them.

 **Dear Treasure Seeker or Seekers,**

 **You have made it passed all of our traps. You found the treasure, even though it wasn't on the map. You passed the reefs, the boars, the quick sand, the cave of doom, and even jumped over the pikes. Now there is just one last obstacle in your way.**

 **Our descendents stayed on this isle. If any of them survived to this day, you will have to defeat them with guile. Should you answer their question correctly, the treasure is yours. If you do not, you shall feel the sting of their swords.**

 **You only get one guess. Try your best or you might be laid to rest. Good luck. It'll take more than pluck to not end up in the muck.**

 **Madara and Kurama.**

Meanwhile Rin, Obito, Kakashi, and Guy continue sailing back towards England. The assassin frowns. She really didn't know what awaited her back there.

"Don't worry, Rin. The Queen is quite fond of me. I'm certain that she wouldn't mind giving you a place at Court." Kakashi tries to reassure her.

"A place at Court? Are you out of your blooming mind?! I am an assassin, Kakashi. She is not going to want an assassin in her home. Well not unless she wants someone killed." Rin says with a shrug.

Obito chuckles. Well there was at least one person who he knew that Mei wouldn't mind seeing dead. Still he was the Spanish King and that wasn't a kill to be made lightly.

"What are you laughing about?" Guy asks the shipyard owner in complete confusion.

"Oh I think the Queen might well like to make use of yours skills. I'm not certain if she has the stomach to ask though. You see Queen Mei is not that fond of the Spanish King. It would be a way to win her favor, if you are not too frightened of the possible consequences of getting caught. I don't recommend it, but it is a funny thought." Obito replies.

The silver haired pirate gapes at his friend. He couldn't believe that the recluse would suggest such a thing. He had just casually discussed the death of a King!

Oh Kakashi had little love for most Royals. Mei was the exception to his general contempt for them, but still. That was the fastest way to an early grave that he knew of. Was Obito mad?

"That is not a humorous suggestion." He says.

"Perhaps not. Though I suppose if that really is true and I could get away with it, the Queen would be rather indebted to me. I would be set for life." Rin muses.

Kakashi smacks his forehead. He couldn't believe that they were talking about this. Good God, he was going to have to handcuff Rin and get her a leash to make certain she didn't follow through on Obito's foolish joke.

"He was not seriously advocating for you to kill the King of Spain. Do you have any idea how foolish such an undertaking would be?" The CopyCat Pirate asks.

"I would tell you to calm down before your hair all turns gray, but it seems that it's too late for that." She says with a smirk.

The pirate twitches. He couldn't believe she had taunted him about his hair! He had been born with a head of silver hair, surely as the Sun did rise! Rin was aware of that. She knew that he hated being teased about it.

"That was well below the belt." He says.

"I suppose that's true. I am sorry. That wasn't very fair. Let me make it up to you." The woman offers.

Guy and Obito watch Rin carefully. Neither was entirely certain what that crazy woman was plotting. This might not end well. God only knows what went on in her mind.

"And how do you intend to do that?" He asks.

"Surely you have heard of kissing and making up." She tells him and presses her lips against his.

Obito's eyes widen just as much as Kakashi. He knew that he should be heartbroken. This was the girl that he had been in love with since he was knee-high to a grasshopper. Yet he wasn't.

The girl that he was in love with was gone. This woman he didn't recognize. Oh he liked her well enough. It was fun to conspire with her, but he didn't love her. Not like he had loved that girl that he grew up with.

"Well yes. I've never seen it taken quite so literally before." He says with a chuckle after returning the kiss.

Kakashi glances back at Obito. He knew that his best friend had always carried a torch for Rin. He didn't want to severe a friendship. He mentally breathes a sigh of relief when the shipyard owner gives him a signal that he was not going to object.

"I find the direct approach works the best." She muses.

"That's the spirit! Behold the power of love and youth!" Guy exclaims.

Rin blinks. Guy was a very friendly fellow, but he was also quite odd. She looks at Kakashi uncertainly.

"Guy deeply appreciates youth. It's his philosophy on life." Kakashi explains and she nods.

He leans down and whispers into her ear. The silver haired pirate didn't want her to be uncomfortable because of his friend's eccentric ways. It was best to just explain everything to her now.

"Just humor him. I'm afraid that I will have to break off my relationship with the Queen. I would not intentionally stray. Sad to say, but our days of play were dwindling anyway. She can only reasonably stall marriage for so long." He says with a dramatic sigh.

Rin stares at Kakash in shock. He was giving up a QUEEN for her?! Clearly, everyone on this ship was insane.

"Are you certain that this is what you wish to do? I would not be angry with you. She is a Queen. I'm an assassin. I can hardly expect you to prefer a life on the run with me to a life of luxury in the palace with her." The woman says.

"I do enjoy being with the Queen, but we both knew it wasn't meant to be. She was an extremely pleasant diversion and I do care for her a great deal. She also cares for me, but she loves her country more. I could never be her King. Can you imagine the scandal that her marrying a pirate would cause?" He asks.

Rin thinks about it and nods slowly. That was true. Kakashi might have enough wealth to make him a suitable match, but his reputation meant that it could never be. Well at least not without the Vatican and public coming down hard on Mei for daring to marry a man that wasn't "socially acceptable."

"If being a Queen means I can't choose what man will share my bed freely, I think I prefer my station." She says with a smile.

"A wise woman. Gold is always nice, but freedom is better. Pleasure before treasure." He says with a wink.

Back on the isle, the pirate crews all stand back to back. There was no way of knowing how many of Madara and Kurama's descendents might survive. There was at least one person on this island though. It was highly unlikely they could defeat so many men and women, but that didn't mean they couldn't take out a few of them before they perished.

"You really should see the look upon all of your faces. It's quite priceless." Someone says and the pirates all direct their attention towards the source of the masculine voice.

He looked to be fairly young. It was most likely that he was in his late twenties. He had brown hair that reached to his shoulders and cinnamon brown eyes. His garb was light blue and it opened to reveal his chest. Unfortunately, he was not alone.

Somehow they had been surrounded. There had to be at least two dozen archers surrounding them. The pirates and sailors had the advantage of numbers, but those arrows would fly before they could reach them. They might win the battle, but it would be at a heavy cost.

"Who are you?" Itachi demands.

"I am Utakata. I am just one of the many descendents of Madara and Kurama. As you can see, my kin are here as well. I never thought someone would actually make it through all those traps, let alone so many people. I suppose that's good though." He muses.

"If you want to fight, it's a fight you will lose." Karin snaps at him.

Utakata chuckles. Pirates were always so aggressive. He had grown up listening to tales of what his ancestors had done. He knew full well the type of people that he was dealing with. He wasn't frightened in the least though.

"Calm yourself. We are only planning to fight if you can't answer the question." He instructs him.

"Do you have any idea how fucking insane that is? You are willing to fight to the death over the riddle of two dead men!" Hidan calls out.

He couldn't argue that to an outsider, it likely sounded strange. Still it was their way. They had been raised since birth to prepare for this. They certainly weren't going to let their ancestors down now.

"We care naught for you opinion of us. You only get one guess. That's one guess for all of you. You aren't each getting a chance." He says firmly.

Naruto blinks. This was complete insanity. Seriously? He looks around and notes that the archers didn't seem to be playing. Holy shit. They were all mad as hatters.

"Sasuke? You were always the best at riddlers when we were children." Itachi says.

"I'll do it. If everyone agrees. Our chances of getting out of this without a fight to the death are slim and that's assuming they keep their word." He mutters.

The pirates and sailors all huddle. There was a great debate about who would answer the question. Eventually, it was decided that Sasuke would be as good a guess as any.

None of the sailors wanted to do it and most of the pirates trusted Itachi's assessment. Naruto looks at Sasuke in concern. His lover just gives him a reassuring smile and walks over to Utakata.

"Alright. I'm going to be the one that will answer your riddle. What is it? We didn't come all this way for nothing. One way or another that treasure is ours. We'd rather not have this be another bloodbath, but that wouldn't stop us." Sasuke warns him.

Utakata smirks. Well he had to admit that he admired the fighting spirit of the strange people who had entered their home. Still the rules were the rules.

 _ **"You first feel it when your mother nurses you at her breasts."**_

 _ **"Like a bird leaving the nest, the world puts you to the test."**_

 _ **"We are always told that gold is the greatest treasure."**_

 _ **"The one that will give the most pleasure."**_

 _ **"But this is not true, for me and you."**_

 _ **"What is the greatest treasure, beyond measure?"**_ He asks.

Sasuke blinks. He frowns as he ponders the question. What had to do with nursing and was worth more than gold? Something that you couldn't measure. What kind of insane riddle was this?!

"I don't think he knows the answer." Shino says cautiously and prepares to get into a fighting stance.

"Shut up! You can do it, my pearl!" Naruto calls out.

The youngest Uchiha glances back at lover. He smiles when he sees him and his brother. Itachi was holding onto Gaara rather tightly. That's when it clicked.

 _My pearl._ Pearl was a form of treasure. Naruto always called him his treasure. The blonde loved him.

 _"You first feel it at your mother's breast."_ Something your mother had for you. A mother loved her children. Pleasure obviously referred to happiness and knowing the kinds of deviants that the infamous pirates had been, likely sex. More precious than gold and you couldn't measure it. It had to be love.

"It's love." Sasuke answers after a few tense moments.

Utakata blinks. He hadn't expected the pirate to get that one. He sighs and gestures for everyone to lower their bows.

He had little faith that the pirates and sailors weren't going to attack. Still they had passed every task. It was only right to let them have the treasure. That was what their ancestors had wanted after all.

They wanted the treasure seeker or seekers to prove themselves worthy. That's why they had devised all these insane tasks. Well they had certainly done that.

"It's yours then. I hope you use it wisely." Utakata says with a smile.

"Wait you mean after all that, you are just going to let us walk off with the treasure?! That's it?!" Suigetsu asks in disbelief.

Utakata nods as if this was perfectly normal. Everyone else falls over in shock. Nobody really knew what they had been expecting, but this definitely wasn't it.

"It is going to take us time to gather all this." Itachi says softly.

"Take all the time you need. It took centuries for someone to get beyond Madara and Kurama's traps. I don't think a few days or even weeks is going to make a difference. Thank you. Thanks to you and your friends, our ancestors can finally be at rest." He says with a smile.

Jugo looks around and shakes his head. It was hard to believe that Madara and Kurama had wanted their treasure to end up in strangers, rather than their descendants. Still he definitely wasn't going to argue.

"Wait. You said you are their descendents. Yeah?" Deidara asks and Utakata nods his head in confirmations.

"Yes, we are. What is causing you confusion about that?" He asks.

"Well Madara and Kurama were both men. Two men can't have babies together." The eccentric blonde points out.

The mysterious man shakes his head in amusement. It was a logical question, though he was surprised someone had the lack of tact to ask. Oh well. He didn't mind answering it.

"They loved each other deeply. Both of them wanted children. Obviously, they couldn't have them naturally. So they brought some women to the island. In exchange for baring their children, they were allowed to live comfortable lives here." He explains.

"Ohhh. Well that makes more sense." Deidara says and nods his head in acceptance.

Gaara chuckles. Well that was interesting. Still there was one problem. How were they ever going to carry all this treasure over the ladder?

"We won't be able to move this. The ladder is all that we have to cross that pit with." He says mournfully.

"Oh don't worry. We can cover the hole. You'll be able to move this all freely." He says and whistles.

A group of the natives begin carrying off lots of rocks. The pirates blink and follow them. All of them were curious to see how that was going to the problem.

They soon got their answer. The natives begin throwing the rocks into the pit. Over and over again, they kept throwing them, until it was completely filled. The pikes were likely crushed by the force of all the throws or they were buried so far underneath them, they were no longer a threat.

"Wow. Why didn't we think of that?" Naruto asks Sasuke.

Sasuke just shrugged. Who cared? It worked. He starts grabbing some of the treasure. The rest of the crew quickly followed his lead and Naruto walks alongside him.

"Sasuke, remember your promise." Naruto says as they walk across the rocks, carrying their first bit of the treasure.

"Is that all you EVER think about?" Sasuke asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Well it's kinda hard not to. I mean you did promise." The blonde insists.

Sasuke shakes his head. Oh boy. What the Hell was he ever going to do with this man?

"Naruto, I always keep my promises. Once we have loaded all of the treasure onto the ship, we can go back to our cabin. Then we'll make love on top of some treasure chests." The raven haired youth assures him.

"FINALLY! You know what your biggest problem is, Sasuke?" The blonde demands.

The First Mate sighs. He was almost afraid to ask. Still he knew he was going to find out one way or another.

"No. What is my biggest problem, idiot?" He inquires.

"You're a treasure before pleasure man. It should be the other way around. That's okay though. That's why you have me. You don't want to become a boring old man before you're even thirty summers, do you?" His lover asks with a laugh.

"No. I most certainly do not want to become a boring old man before thirty summers. I suppose that's why I keep you around. It certainly isn't for your brains." Sasuke says with a smirk and races off.

Naruto just gapes at the sight of his lover's lovely retreating backside for a minute. He couldn't believe that Sasuke had just said that. Well he could, but still!

"Hey! Get back here! Take that back! I'm smart too!" He protests and chases Sasuke.

"Make me take it back." Sasuke taunts him.

"Oh I'll make you take it back alright." Naruto growls as he pins Sasuke against the wall and kisses him.

"I'm trembling with…excitement." Sasuke says slyly after returning the kiss.


	20. Chapter 20

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's** Note: Thanks for all the reviews. Well it has finally arrived. The Treasure Lemon is here. I hope you all enjoy it.

 **Chapter Notation:** About 2/3rds of this chapter was pure lemon. Warnings were put up before and afterwards. So you can skip it easily, if you want.

Chapter 20

"As you should be. Now go march that sexy arse of yours right back into our Cabin. I'll drag in the chest." Naruto orders him.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. Well he had promised not to be "coy." He still refused to think of himself as coy, but a promise was a promise. Besides, he didn't mind indulging his blonde in these strange kinks now and then. If the Konoha Captain wanted to bend him over a treasure chest and have his wicked way with him, Sasuke didn't mind.

"Alright. I'll be waiting." Sasuke purrs seductively into his lover's ears as he lowers his eyelashes invitingly at Naruto before bounding off.

"Damn it. He did the fucking eyelash thing again. He knows how much I love that." Naruto grumbles and lugs the treasure chest behind him.

Sasuke waits for Naruto in the cabin. He sits on the bed and grabs a bottle of champagne. He was going to have some fun with this, when the idiot walked in. The youngest Uchiha felt himself smirk at the thought.

"Okay, I got it." The Captain says a few minutes later when he drags the big chest in.

"Great." Sasuke says as he wraps his lips around the top of the bottle and slowly begins pulling it off.

 **Warning Treasure Lemon**

The First Mate knew exactly what it looked like. The action was designed to be suggestive. He wanted Naruto to imagine that his mouth was wrapped around his cock and not the bottle.

"You're a God damn evil tease, you know that?" Naruto growls darkly at Sasuke.

"I have no idea what you meant. I just thought you might like a drink." Sasuke says after briefly releasing the bottle from his mouth.

Naruto raises an eyebrow. Sasuke was really going to try to pretend to be innocent? Oh that shit would not work on him. He knew the other man too well to fall for that.

"Uh huh." The blonde says skeptically and Sasuke nods.

He sucks hard on the bottle and uncorks it. The champagne ends up spraying the blonde. Sasuke smirks feeling rather pleased with himself.

"Good thing I wasn't going to be needing my clothes for awhile." Naruto mutters and quickly strips.

"Mhm." Sasuke says and pulls his lover down for a hot, passionate kiss.

Naruto smiles and kisses back. It was good to see Sasuke being playful again. It meant his rib probably wasn't hurting him too much.

"Well since you have been a very bad pearl, you'll have to make it up to me. First, I want you to strip. Slowly. I want a show. You promised that you wouldn't feign protests like you normally do." The blue eyed Captain reminds him.

"You're bossy. Why don't you sit on the chest and I'll make sure that you get a good show?" Sasuke asks.

Naruto nods dumbly. He quickly sits on the chest. Sasuke smiles. He takes a moment to admire the glorious sight that was his naked lover. Damn. He hadn't even touch him yet and the First Mate was already flying at half mast. (Thanks to the blonde, Sasuke would never look at masts the same way again.)

"Such an accommodating Captain." Sasuke purrs with approval and sits in Naruto's naked lap.

He couldn't help but smirk when he felt Naruto's dick jump a bit underneath him. It was flattering to know how easily Sasuke could get his lover's attention really. The youngest Uchiha smiles and slowly starts sliding his shirt over his head.

"God you're beautiful." Naruto says with a smile and runs his hands along the muscular planes of his lover's chest.

Sasuke normally would have scolded the blonde for calling him that. But a promise was a promise. He had given his word that he wouldn't be "coy."

"You aren't so bad yourself." The raven haired pirate says and nibbles on his ear while slowly kicking off his trousers.

Naruto blinks when he saw that Sasuke didn't have anything else on underneath those trousers. Well that was convenient. The blue eyed smirks when he saw that he wasn't the only one who was excited.

"You know Madara and Kurama were both mad, but they were right about what the greatest treasure is." He says.

"Mhm. I have to give the crazy old codgers that much." Sasuke agrees.

Naruto gets off of the chest. He opens it and tips it over until the gold and gems spill out onto the floor. Quickly he sets it right side up. Sasuke raises an eyebrow in confusion at that.

"Your ivory skin is going to look so glorious surrounded by all that gold as you suck me off." The blonde explains.

"My love, you have the strangest notions." Sasuke says and he shakes his head in amusement was sits in the pile of gold on his knees.

"It's true though. I really wish that I could paint worth shit. You should see how magnificent you look right now." He continues.

Sasuke makes a small snort of amusement. It was sweet that Naruto was trying to be romantic. He was certainly rather generous with his praise, but Sasuke didn't need any of that flowery stuff. He just needed Naruto.

Normally, he would have protested sucking him off so easily. The Captain should earn that privilege. Still a deal was a deal. He smiles slyly and takes the tip into his mouth, swirling his rough tongue along the sensitive flesh.

"Shit! God, you feel so fucking good." Naruto growls lustfully and Sasuke notes that the blonde was now sucking on his fingeres.

Someone was needy. He was already planning to prepare him? Sasuke liked foreplay. He liked it a lot actually, but he would never say no to a more…raw version of lovemaking.

He smirks and sucks him harder. Sasuke makes sure to brush his lips against the length of his lover's impressive erection in a manner similar to a kiss. Naruto enjoyed contrasts between gentle and rough. He then grazes his teeth over him and goes back to sucking. It didn't take long for Sasuke to begin deepthroating Naruto. This was much to his lover's delight.

"Feels so good, baby. Just like that." Naruto praises and reaches down.

He uses one hand to tease Sasuke's nipples and the other to part the First Mate's legs. The blonde soon slides a single digit inside the other man.

Naruto still couldn't get over how hot and tight Sasuke always was. It didn't matter how many times he took him or how enthusiastically. Sasuke always fit him like a sheathe fit a word.

"You're so impatient." Sasuke taunts him as he continues making love to the Captain with his mouth.

"Fuck yeah, I am." Naruto admits as he pumps his finger faster inside the other pirate and his hand finds his lover's cock.

He strokes Sasuke in a teasingly slow fashion. He didn't want Sasuke to get off just yet. Still it wouldn't be fair to not let his pearl enjoy himself as he was pleasuring him in such a spectacularly superb fashion.

Sasuke groans. God that felt good. He would never understand how Naruto could play with his dick better than he did. It just felt really good. He squirms when he feels Naruto's finger brush up against spot and lets out a loud moan.

"You're so sensitive." The blonde says with a smirk and adds another.

Sasuke decides to get revenge for that remark. He sucks harder and nips lightly. Apparently, this was just a bit too much for Naruto. He practically roars out his release as he came hard.

"Now who is sensitive?" Sasuke asks smugly.

"Bad pearl. I wasn't planning on cumming that soon. Go lay on the chest." He instructs after removing his fingers.

Sasuke saunters over to chest in a rather arrogant fashion. Naruto could tell that his pearl was feeling incredibly smug. The blonde was tempted to give him another spanking, but decides against it. He had something much better in mind.

"Alright. I'm on the chest. Now what?" Sasuke asks.

"I want to watch you play with your cock until you cum." The Captain answers.

The youngest Uchiha blinks. He hadn't been expecting that. Of course compared to having sex against a mast, it was probably fairly tame. Still that was a little…embarrassing.

"Remember, you promised. Don't worry, I'll make it more than worth your while soon. Seeing you that way, will get me ready to make love to you properly again. I want to know that I drive you just as crazy as you drive me." He says.

Sasuke could feel his face heat up. He didn't know why this felt more intimate than everything else they had done so far. It just did. He mentally slaps himself.

He was a fucking pirate. He was not some blushing virgin bride. If Naruto wanted to see touch himself, it wasn't a big deal. Besides, they were already lovers anyway.

"You do. Trust me, you do." Sasuke assures him and slides his hand down between his thighs.

He sighs softly in pleasure as he begins stroking his erection. It felt better when Naruto did it, but this was still good. Plus it was hard not to become aroused when your lover was watching you like they wanted to completely devour you.

"Is this what you wanted? To see me play with my cock?" Sasuke groans and arches against the chest.

It was a mostly leather and iron chest. The leather made it softer to lay on, but he could feel the hard iron not far below. It was an interesting sensation. It was mostly pleasure with a small kiss from pain.

"Fuck yes, it was." Naruto says and he stalks over towards Sasuke.

At the moment the last Uchiha felt very much like a deer that was being cornered by a wolf. The blonde's sapphire blue eyes were now smoldering with undisguised lust. He stroked himself faster in anticipation.

The blonde soon straddles him. Naruto quickly captures Sasuke's mouth in a possessive kiss that the Uchiha happily returns. Sasuke found himself moaning into it and arching against his lover, desperate for more relief as he continues pumping his erection.

"More." Sasuke says after breaking the kiss.

"Oh you'll get more, after you do what I told you to do." The blonde says.

Normally, the feisty First Mate would have told his lover to fuck off. He didn't follow orders from anyone, but Itachi. Still he was half mad with need. He felt his erection pulse in his hand and knew that it wouldn't take long to spill his seed. So he decides not to argue.

"Perfect." Naruto whispers and kisses his neck, his hands gliding over Sasuke's chest.

Oh that was nice. So Naruto was going to help. He found himself leaning into his lover's touches and stroking himself furiously. He was so fucking close!

Sasuke kisses Naruto's neck and bites down lightly, before sucking on it harshly. If Naruto was going to pretend to be in charge of their lovemaking while they were alone, Sasuke would at least have his mark on him while they were in public.

"That feels good." Naruto groans and grinds his erection against Sasuke's, causing them both to moan.

That was enough to trigger Sasuke's release. The other pirate couldn't hold it back anymore. He came hard.

"Good pearl. Now I want you to bend over this chest and let me make you scream my name until you can't speak anymore." Naruto commands.

"You're pretty cocky. Let's see if it's for a good reason." Sasuke says as he watches the blonde get off of him and then the youngest Uchiha bends over the chest.

Naruto took a moment to admire the view. He'd never seen a treasure chest look so sexy before. It was an alluring sight to see his ivory pale muscular lover bent over it and surrounded by the glimmering treasure.

"Just like that." He whispers approvingly and buries himself inside Sasuke with one swift thrust.

Sasuke moans when his lover hits his spot. Fuck that felt good. It never ceased to amaze him how full Naruto could make him feel. The young pirate felt like he was the center of the blonde's entire world when he took him like this.

"Oh God, Naruto!" Sasuke moans when the blonde begins slamming into him again and again.

Every thrust made him feel as though he was flying. Shit it was so intense. He could feel Naruto so deep inside him. He could feel the warmth of his lover's skin against his back. Naruto's scent and sounds of his passion filled the air. It was a heady mix.

The two lovers soon began to move as one. Their cries of passion soon blurred together and neither could tell where one began and the other ended. One final powerful thrust sends them both spiraling over the edge.

Sasuke could feel Naruto pull out of him and turn him around. The blonde wraps his arms around the youngest Uchiha. Sasuke leans into the other pirate's loving embrace and smiles.

 **End of Treasure Lemon**

"You know I'm starting to understand your treasure fetish." Sasuke notes in amusement as he tries to catch his breath.

"See? I knew you'd understand eventually." Naruto says with a cocky smile as he enjoys the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Kakashi, Rin, Obito, Guy, and the injured sailors arrive in England a few days later. The silver haired pirate quickly leads them back to the castle. Rin is surprised when he requests a private audience with the Queen and is quickly granted it. They really were lovers then.

"Kakashi, it does my heart good to see you. Thank you, Guy for returning him to us. You will be compensated. Obito, what are you doing with them? Oh and I am sorry, but I don't believe we've met before." She says and glances at Rin.

Rin couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious. The queen was a beauty and quite stunning in all finery. She felt quite plain in comparison.

"Guy, Haku, and Obito all mounted rescue missions. Unfortunately, Haku fell in a battle against the pirates. We were fortunate to escape with our lives and the lives of some of our crew." The CopyCat pirate explains.

"Well I am glad that most of you made it home, safe and sound. That is of course what matters most. It is a pity that you were unable to defeat the pirates though." She muses.

Kakashi nods. He pauses and wonders what would be the best way to broach the subject of Rin staying there. Unfortunately, Rin decides to be blunt.

"My Queen, I would like to offer you my services. I have a very specific trade. One that I have grown quite skilled at over the years. I believe that I can serve you in a rather useful manner as it pertains to the Spanish King." She says.

Mei raises an eyebrow. She couldn't help but wonder what Rin's profession was. So few women had a profession outside of being a wife, healer, or nun.

"And what exactly is your profession?" She inquires.

"I am an assassin. I can make it look like an accident. I understand that he has been making life rather difficult for you. We are both women. It's important that we help each other." She continues.

The Queen blinks. This woman before her was certainly bold, perhaps even mad. She had just offered to assassinate a sitting Monarch? Had she lost her mind?

"You are either mad as a hatter or rather confident at your skills. I just met you. Why would I trust you to take out a King? What makes you think that I would have any desire for his death? I am a pious woman. Killing is wrong." She replies.

Kakashi tries not to laugh at the phrase pious woman. He knew that Mei was as far from that as possible. Still he had to give her credit, the English Queen certainly was good at playing the part she had been assigned at birth.

"You have employed pirates. I know that you are a woman who values results above the appearance of being proper. If I fail, I will accept the consequences. I would not implicate you in the plot. But Your Highness, I think that it is rather obvious that the Spanish King is not your favorite person. Everyone knows this." Rin replies.

The Monarch eyes the other woman carefully. She gets off her throne and circles it. This was a woman who could have been her, had she been born to a different set of parents. That made her dangerous.

"Kakashi?" She inquires.

"I would trust her with my life. We were close friends as children. While I think that she has lost her mind in proposing this, you can have complete faith that she will be absolutely loyal to you." The silver haired man says with a sigh.

Obito watches the scene with growing alarm. He could only pray to God that the Queen wouldn't order Rin's execution. He had been jesting about the women killing the Spanish King. It had been a joke. He didn't expect Rin to actually go through with it!

"Very well. It's your neck, not mine. If you fail, I will deny ever having met you. Have I made myself clear?" Mei demands.

"Perfectly, My Lady." She says.

"As for your cover, you may work as a maid. Quarters will be given to you and food. They are likely more comfortable than what you are used to though fairly modest." She warns her.

Guy, Obito, and Kakashi look at each other in shock. None of them could believe that Mei had actually accepted Rin's offer. Women were crazy. That was the only logical explanation.

"You are also welcome to stay the night or seek a position at Court Guy. You returned Kakashi to us. You do deserve to be adequately rewarded." Mei continues.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. You are most generous. The power of youth is strong within you." He says with a blindingly bright smile.

Mei quickly shuts her eyes. She didn't know that smiles could be that bright. It was so unnatural.

"You are welcome. I shall have my guards show you, Rin, and Obito to your quarters. I should like to speak with Kakashi alone." She says.

The other three didn't need to be told twice. They all quickly headed off. None of them wanted to risk annoying the Queen.

"Kakashi, you know that I am quite fond of you. I wish that you were born into a higher station or that your reputation wasn't as colorful as it is." Mei begins.

"I am fond of you as well. That is why this is rather painful. Though I believe it is in both of our best interests in the long run." He replies.

Mei blinks. Wait. That sounded as though Kakashi was trying to end their involvement. The feisty Queen wasn't certain how she felt about that.

It was good news on one hand. She certainly didn't wish for a long, drawn out severing of ties. Mei didn't desire to see him suffer. Still it was rather hurtful to know that he was apparently willing to let her go without a fight.

"You already know what I am about to say, don't you?" She whispers.

Kakashi sighs and nods. Indeed, he did know what she was trying to say. Oh it did pain him, but he had known that their relationship was not one that would last long-term.

She was a Queen. He was a glorified pirate. It could never work. If he continued their relationship, in the end he would only end up hurting her. Oh he wouldn't do it intentionally, but it would still happen.

"I'm afraid that I do. It's alright, my Queen. I shall always have fond feelings for you, but I do not wish to hurt you. That is what will happen. Your reputation will be damaged beyond repair, if our relationship was ever to become public knowledge. Even if it didn't, it would mean keeping your affair a secret from whoever you ended up marrying. That would not be a real marriage. You would always live in fear that your infidelity would be discovered. If it was, it might even end up with both of us losing our heads." The silver haired man replies.

She frowns. Everything he was saying was true. Still that didn't make it any less painful. Sometimes it was not fun to be Queen. There were many advantages to her station, but it came at a terrible cost. Her freedom.

"You're right. Well I must admit you keep interesting company. Your friend's smile almost blinded me. Your other friend is a shipyard owner. I never knew you were friends with an assassin either." She muses.

"Oh I like to keep a wide variety of friends. It makes life more interesting. I really wish that Rin had not made that outrageous offer. I do fear for her safety, but I know that she is a woman of her word." He states.

Mei raises an eyebrow. So that is why he wasn't brokenhearted. He had feelings for this assassin.

"You once said the same thing about me. If I recall, this was shortly before we became lovers. It's alright. I know that you haven't bedded her yet. You have a certain look of smugness on you, after you've been… _satisfied._ You don't have it upon you at the moment. I know that you were faithful during our time together and I could not reasonably expect more from you. It's a pity though. If there are lives after this one, perhaps the fates will be more kind to us…next time." She says with a rueful smile.

Kakashi sighs. He walks over and places a chaste kiss on her cheek. He didn't mean to hurt her. Truly, that was the last thing that he desired. But he knew that he had.

"Well I should say that it's quite a feather in my cap to have bedded a woman as beautiful as you and a Queen to boot. She will have to work rather hard to satisfy me anywhere near as well as you did." He assures her.

"But you believe that she can. It's alright. I wish you both happiness. Besides, I know that soon they will try to push me into a marriage. I can only reasonably delay the inevitable for so long. Still before I take my wedding vows, I should like to see the Spanish King in a coffin." The Queen says with a smirk.

Kakashi rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He was damn glad that their breakup had been so amiable. Mei could be quite scary when she put her mind to it.

"Yes, I should like to see that as well. In fact, I think many people would enjoy that sight. If anyone can do it, it is Rin." The pirate says.

"I hope that she is as good as you think she is at her trade. It will be her pretty little head that rolls and not mine, if she fails." Mei says and Kakashi gulps.

Dear God, what had Rin just gotten herself into? She was truly gambling with her life. He could only hope that his friend and future lover knew what she was doing or she might as well have just dug her own grave.


	21. Chapter 21

Diamonds and Pearls

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy the ending to Diamonds and Pearls.

 **Chapter Notation:** This takes place a year after the last chapter.

 **New Stories:** Feel free to check out some of my other stories, if you are interested. I expect within the next week or two, that I will be starting some new stories.

Chapter 21

"Jirayia, do you know what that loud sound coming from upstairs is?" Tsunade asks her companion a year later.

"It's the kids. My best guess is that it's Sasuke and Naruto. Though it could be Suigetsu and Hinata. I suppose I should be fair, there are some other couples it could be. Though nine times out of ten, it's them or Itachi and Gaara." He muses.

Tsunade blinks. Now she knew what that racket was. It was one of the pirate couples indulging in a rather passionate round of lovemaking. She knew that it was the Isle of Lust, but damn. She had never actually heard of someone making the bed move before.

"Well I just came over to see if you have anymore ale. I'm all out. These pirates all drink like fish." She says.

"Oh yes. I have some. Take whatever you need." The other Sannin says.

"Thank you. It's strange. I still can't believe that they showed up one day, wanting to move here and to buy the Isle of the Lost." She muses as she remembers that bizarre incident.

 _"Tsunade! We've got company!" Jirayia called out in a startled voice._

 _Indeed they did. Lots of pirates. Naruto was the first one to bound through the door. He was wearing some rather fine clothes. They were probably worth their weight in gold._

 _"Don't worry, old man and granny. We just want to talk. So I was wondering if anyone had bought Orochimaru's Island yet? Cause we be very interested in doing so!" He chimed merrily._

 _Tsunade and Jirayia blinked. The pirates wanted to buy the Isle of the Lost? As they were processing that shocking revelation, more and more pirates came in. Some of them were wearing uniforms from the English fleet!_

 _"We ain't selling to anyone sailing for a country." The busty blonde woman stated._

 _"Oh they aren't sailing for England anymore. They sail for us. It's a long story." Sasuke said._

 _Shikamaru shook his head. He could see that he was going to have to step in here to prevent a disaster. It was a drag, but someone had to do it._

 _"Besides, do you really want to argue with us? You are outnumbered here. You can either sell us the island and make a lot of money or you we can just take it." He stated with shrug._

 _The two remaining Sannin gulped. That was a good point. They reluctantly sold Orochimaru's island without any further questions._

Since then the crews had all made their home in the Triangle of Death. Sasuke and Naruto ruled over the Island of the Lost. Itachi and Gaara were now in charge of the Liquor Isle. Finally, Jirayia and Tsunade were now jointly presiding over the Lust Isle. (Apparently, Jirayia wasn't going to give up his "baby" that easily.)

In a very bizarre way, the pirate crews (and former sailors) had become like their grandchildren. Tsunade and Jirayia often referred to them as the kids or the brats. Life could be very strange sometimes.

Meanwhile back in England, Mei was preparing for her wedding. The Queen of England still had no idea how events had ended up unfolding as they had. Somehow, Rin had managed to kill the Spanish King and Obito had ended up successfully courting her.

"How did you manage it?" Mei asks once the two women were alone.

"Oh men are all the same. You can lead them around by their dicks quite easily. I just presented myself as a rather _friendly_ member your staff. Of course the old codger bought it and invited me back to his room. I brought us drinks. One of them was poisoned. It was a poison that was designed to make it look like he had died of consumption." Rin explains.

Mei laughs. It was a rather simple plan, but effective. She could only hope that the new King of Spain would be less vexing. Either way, she wasn't going to worry about that any longer for today. It was her wedding day. She was getting married.

Today should be a day of happiness and not worry. She smiles as she heads outside her bedchamber. Her bridesmaids were waiting for her.

They soon reach the courtyard where the grandest wedding ever was being held. Mei smiles. The flowers were in full bloom and the dazzling display of colors in the royal gardens. The sky was blue and the birds where chirping. Everyone was dressed in their finest clothing. There were also mountains of delicious delicacies and drinks upon the table. Finally, beautiful classical music was playing in the background.

"I still can't believe that you convinced her to marry you." Kakahsi muses as he watches Mei escorted slowly down the aisle.

"Neither can I. Though to be fair, I own one of the largest shipyards in Europe. That means I'm wealthy enough that the public is willing to overlook my humble origins. You behaved like a barbarian for several years while you were a pirate. No one was going to accept you as King." His friend replies.

Obito smiles as he sees his bride walk down the aisle. Mei's vibrant hair reached all the way to her ankles. Her beautiful green eyes were shimmering with happiness. Not even her beautiful long lacey veil could disguise that. She wore a long silk gown with a train that had to be carried by four of her ladies.

The gown was the color of freshly fallen snow. She had a sweetheart neckline which showed off just enough of her ample bosom to be alluring, but didn't quite cross the line of being scandalous. Her every step was graceful.

"Kakashi, you are an idiot." He whispers.

"Oh I know. I was very fond of her. You know that she has a birthmark on her left hip. If you stroke it just the right away, it drives her crazy. Still I am deliriously happy with Rin. Not even a crown can sway me." He says with a smile.

Obito gives Kakashi a dirty look for that birthmark comment. If they were not in the middle of a royal wedding, he would have slapped him. Still nothing could ruin his good mood on this day. He was getting married to the Queen of England.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of our beloved Queen and Obito. If anyone has any reasons why they should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace." The Pope says.

Thankfully, no one objected. It probably helped that everyone knew they would likely be executed, if they caused a scene in front of the Pope. So they wisely stayed silent.

"Wonderful. Do you Obito take Mei to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold? In sickness and in health? In good times and in bad? Do you promise to forsake all others, until death do you part?" The Pope asks.

"I do." Obito says with a smile.

"Do you Queen Mei take Obito to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold? In sickness and in health? In good times and in bad? Do you promise to forsake all others, until death do you part?" He continues.

"I do." Mei replies and positively beams in happiness.

"Then by the power vested in me by God, I pronounce thee man and wife. You may kiss the bride." The elderly man says with a smile.

Obito wasted no time. He quickly kisses his bride. There were some rather scandalized gasps due to the rather passionate nature of their kiss. Mei eagerly returned the kiss.

"Well…I suppose that it will not be long before I am called upon to Christian the next Prince or Princess of England." Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Pope, chuckles.

There were many laughs had at that assessment. Some people clapped. Chants of "Long live the King and Queen," rang out.

"My love, I believe it is time for you to throw your bouquet." Obito says to Mei after breaking the kiss.

"Of course." She says with a smile and tosses the flowers into the crowd.

The competition for that bouquet was fearsome. Obito blinks. He was damn glad that he wasn't an unwed woman. People might actually need to see a physician after that epic battle. Somehow the dust settles though and Rin emerges victorious.

The new King chuckles. He has his Queen sit down and slowly slides her garter belt off. Then Obito throws it at the audience. It was Kakashi that caught it.

"I begin to suspect you may have done that on purpose." The silver haired pirate muses.

"You suspect correctly." Obito says with a smirk as he leads his new wife off for their first dance.

Kakashi mutters something about sneaky bastards. That's when he heard someone bawling their eyes out. The CopyCat Pirate looks around in confusion and blinks when he saw who it was.

Guy. It was Guy. His friend was crying his eyes out. Kakashi looks at him in confusion. Why was he crying at a Royal Wedding? This was a happy occasion.

"Guy?" He asks in concern.

"I'm sorry. It's just the power of youth and love is so beautiful. I always cry at weddings!" Guy admits.

Kakashi shakes his head. He awkwardly pats his friend on the back and heads over to Rin. He smiles and leads her off for a dance.

"You know that if you don't propose to me, your reputation is going to be damaged very severely. I caught the bouquet and you caught the garter belt." She muses.

"Hmm you mean that my reputation can go lower? I'm already a pirate." He chuckles as he twirls her.

Rin smiles and spins underneath him. Well that was a good point. Still she would like to make their relationship official.

"Yes, yes it can. That or you could suffer from a very cold bed. I know that you much prefer a warm one, if given a choice." She says with a sly smile at her handsome lover.

"Well I suppose in that case, it is a very good thing that I was planning on propose to you anyway." Kakashi says as he pulls out a ring.

It was a golden ring with a red ruby shaped like a heart in the center of it. Rin's eyes widen when she sees it and she tackle hugs him. It caused quite the scene.

"Yes!" She calls out happily.

"I believe that Kakashi just proposed to Rin." King Obito says and everyone ohhhs.

The wedding guests look at each other. Someone claps. Then others start clapping. Mei and Obito shake their heads in amusement. Nobles could be such sheep. Oh well for once that was a good thing. The royal couple soon join the crowd in congratulating Kakashi and Rin on their engagement.

Back on the Island of Lust, Itachi was working on a grand plan. His goal was rather simple. Work his lover into a frenzy of lust and see if he would consent to displaying their desire for each other in a very public fashion.

 **Warning Lemon**

"Itachi!" Gaara moans and bucks against his lover's wickedly talented mouth.

If there was one thing that Itachi excelled in outside of battle and sailing, it was definitely sex. In particular, he was very gifted with his mouth. God that felt incredible.

The red head squirms when he felt his lover slide two digits inside him. Itachi was impatient today. That didn't bother him though. So was he.

"I like it when you shout my name like that." Itachi murmurs around the other Captain's cock and sucks harder.

That was good because Gaara figured that he would be shouting it again, very soon. He groans as he felt his orgasm rushing towards him. Who could blame him? He had a gorgeous lover who was sucking him off. He was only human.

Itachi smirks and releases him. The elder Uchiha brother decides that Gaara was suitably prepared now. He was also on the edge of orgasm. This was the time that he was most likely to get compliance out of his sultry red head.

"Why the fuck did you stop?!" The other Captain growls in frustration.

"Because I have a new game for us to play today. We are on the Isle of Lust. What do you think about us claiming each other with some of our comrades watching?" Itachi asks.

Gaara blinks. That sneaky son of a bitch. He had purposely gotten him all worked up and then stopped just before he came, so that Itachi could spring this on him.

"You sneaky bastard." He grumbles.

"Mmm I'm not going to deny that, but I am a sneaky bastard that loves you. What do you say, my love? They already know that we are together. There's no point in hiding how we feel about each other." The older pirate continues.

"I'm likely going to regret this, but I just want to get off. You had better make this worth my while." Gaara warns him.

Itachi smirks. He scoops up his red head and carries him downstairs. Gaara squirms. This was just embarrassing.

His lover soon pushes him against the wall. Gaara warps his legs around Itachi's waist and his arms around his neck. He felt his face heat up when he realized everyone was staring at them.

"You don't need to be bashful. You are stunning. My love, you should not be afraid to show it off." Itachi whispers as he places a trail of kisses along the other man's neck.

Gaara sighs softly in pleasure and closes his eyes. That felt good. There was no doubting that Itachi was very, very seductive. The red head reaches down and begins to stroke his lover.

"You are such a deviant." He muses and moans when Itachi lightly bites on one of his nipples.

"You like it though. So I suppose that makes you just as much of a deviant as I am." Itachi states in a cocky fashion as he buries himself inside his lover.

It never ceased to amaze him. Gaara was always so hot and tight. None of his other lovers had ever been nearly as satisfying.

Gaara moans Itachi enters him and rolls his hips encouragingly. He was far from a blushing virgin anymore. If he had any innocence left when he first became Itachi's lover, it would have been long gone by now. Itachi might like to maintain an air of respectability most of the time, but he might actually be a bigger deviant than Naruto. (And that was certainly saying something!)

"I never claimed otherwise." The red head moans hotly in his ear and writhes against the other man.

Itachi groans in pleasure as he claims his lover with a reckless abandonment. Nothing would ever compare to this.

"Well I'll be damned, the brat is getting laid." Kisame muses and gets himself a glass of ale.

"Not just laid, he's getting thoroughly fucked." Suigetsu muses and owes when Temari smacks him upside the head.

"That be my brother you are talking about and one of your Captains. Show some respect!" Temari growls at him.

"ITACHI!" Gaara moans when the other pirate hits his spot.

"GAARA!" The elder Uchiha brother roars in pleasure and spills his seed deep inside his lover.

That was all that Gaara needed. It felt so fucking good when Itachi took him hard against the wall. The sounds of his moans of pleasure, the feeling of his skin against him, being filled to the brim, and even his scent were just too much. Gaara screams in pleasure as he finally achieves the release that had been so deviously denied to him earlier.

Itachi smiles and pulls out of Gaara. He holds him closely and kisses him. The other Captain eagerly returns the kiss.

 **End of Lemon**

"Dinner with a show." Hinata giggles.

"One Hell of a show." Karin says and nods in agreement at the Hyuga woman.

Deidara grins like a Cheshire Cat and sneaks up behind Sakura. The pink haired pirate raises an eyebrow at the eccentric blonde. God only knows what he was plotting this time.

"Would you like to follow the excellent example set by two of our Captains?" He asks cheekily.

SMACK! Sakura sends him flying straight into the wall with one mighty punch. Everyone blinks.

"Owe! A simple no would have worked. Yeah?!" Deidara demands and rubs his injured cheek.

Tsunade and Jirayia just shake their heads and mutter something about kids. Honestly, it was a good thing that they had found Kurama's treasure, otherwise keeping up with all the repair expenses would have been rather difficult. The kids were often getting into "play fights" and trashing the place.

"What's going on?" Naruto asks as he and Sasuke come down the stairs.

"Definitely wasn't Suigetsu and Hinata that time. Pay up." Jirayia tells Tsunade.

She grumbles. The busty blonde had made a bet earlier that day with Jirayia. She had bet that next time it would be Suigetsu and Hinata who screwed each other's brains out in one of the private rooms.

"I really have to learn to stop making bets. I always lose them." She says with a dramatic sigh.

"Well there are two very good reasons why you are called the Legendary Sucker. That's just one of them." The elderly muses in a cheerful fashion.

Everyone heard that and just gaped at Tsunade. The busty blonde woman growls and smacks Jirayia upside the head for that one. That damn deviant didn't need to go around and start filling the kids' heads with even more filth like that. Their minds were already filthy enough, as evidenced by Itachi ravishing the red head with everyone watching.

"Oh Sasuke's brother just fucked Gaara rather thoroughly. You have to give your brother this much, he's a very enthusiastic lover." Hidan offers casually.

Sasuke blinks. Yeah. He didn't need to hear that. He was happy that Itachi had found love. He just didn't need to see or hear about the physical expression of said love.

"Oh. Wow. Wait to go Itachi and Gaara. Hey, Sasuke what do you think about us doing th-" Sasuke covers Naruto's mouth.

"No. It's never going to happen, Naruto. Read my lips. We are not having sex in front of the crews. Got it?" Sasuke demands.

Naruto pouts. He slowly nods his head though. Damn. That wasn't fair. Itachi did it for Gaara. Well then again, maybe exhibition wasn't really for them. He didn't know if he liked the thought of anyone else seeing Sasuke naked. As much as he would love to show his lover off, that was definitely a factor that needed to be considered.

"Alright. I get it. I guess you're right. I don't really want to share your sexy arse with anyone else, even if they are just looking." Naruto says.

"NARUTO!" Sasuke growls at him.

"What? It is a very nice arse. You also have these amazing eyelashes and it drives me crazy when you do that eyelash thing. Oh and your skin is so fucking pretty." The blonde says.

Sasuke twitches. He couldn't believe that Naruto would say those things with the crew watching. The youngest Uchiha growls and lunges.

Konan shakes her head and watches with amusement. Honestly, she had no idea where they all got the energy to bicker this much. She chuckles and pours herself another glass of ale.

"So how is your experimenting going?" Kiba asks Sasori.

"Oh quite well. I just invented a new kind of poison. I think it will prove very useful on our adventures." The red head says and ignores the fighting going on around them, favor of talking to Kiba.

Jugo blinks. Sasuke could be quite aggressive, when he wanted to be. Ouch. That hit was going to leave a mark. He should probably break this up before it spiraled out of control.

"Sasuke, I think he learned his lesson. Besides, I have big news." Jugo calls out.

The First Mate stops tearing into his lover long enough to look at Jugo. He knew his shield. If Jugo said he had news, he knew that it would be important.

"What is it?" Sasuke asks curiously.

"I think I just figured out what our next treasure hunt will be. There are stories about a long forgotten place called Atlantis. It was ruled by King Indra. It's said that the very streets were made of gold. If we can find it, it will make Kurama's treasure look like a pittance." He states.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. His friend had to be messing with him. Atlantis didn't actually exist.

"Oh come on, even I don't actually believe in Atlantis." Naruto says.

"I have a map. I won it off of a card game with some really strange fellow. I don't know if it's real or not, but what have we got to lose?" The large orange haired man offers.

"Naruto, a lot of people didn't believe in Kurama's treasure, but we found that." Sasuke reasons.

Itachi nods in agreement. Sasuke had a good point there. Besides, what could be more fun than finding a lost civilization.

"He's right, you know. Unless you and Gaara don't wish to go. Then we won't." The elder Uchiha brother offers.

Naruto just gapes at Itachi. How dare he try to imply that he, Naruto Uzumaki, was scared of anything?! He was one of the fiercest pirates to have ever sailed the Seven Seas. He wasn't scared of nothing'. (Well except for losing Sasuke, but he wouldn't let that happen.)

"I ain't scared. What about you, Gaara?" The blonde asks.

"It seems our diamond and pearl know how to manipulate us, rather splendidly. I say we do it." The red head mutters.

"We're going on another adventure! Yeah?!" Deidara calls out excitedly.

Soon a chorus of cheers rears up. The pirates were all excited about having a new quest to go on. The rest of the night was spent lost in revelry and preparing for their next quest. When the morning came, they set off to find Atlantis.

Gaara and Naruto weren't overly concerned whether or not they found the mythical city though. They had already found their diamond and pearl. Anything else would just be icing on the cake. After all, they had found the greatest treasure of all. Love.


End file.
